


The Moon to my Stars

by lavenderpastels



Category: The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types
Genre: 2.5K words, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, F/F, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Platonic Relationships, Private School, emphasis on tries, im tryna go for at least 2.5k on each chapter, minho calls chuck little man, newt is kind of in denial but not really, newts mom kinda sucks ngl, romantic relationships, theres a song for each chapter, this is also posted on wattpad lmao, thomas tries to be smooth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-04-08 10:38:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19105420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavenderpastels/pseuds/lavenderpastels
Summary: a private school au where newt falls in love with his roommate, thomas





	1. chapter one

_song: im so tired...... - lauv & troye sivan_

 

     The soft pattering of small rain droplets on the roof of the car was muted behind the music playing in Newt's earbuds as he spaced out, mindlessly tracing the paths they left on his window. The sky was grey and bland over the buildings reaching up towards it. Tree branches waved in the wind, a blur as the car drove down the roads.   
     "Newton, the top buttons on your shirt are undone." His mom said, snapping him out of the trance he was in.  
     "So?" He replied, pulling an earbud out to listen to what his mom had to say.  
     "You have to be presentable, Newton. I paid good money for you to go to this school, and I don't need you walking in looking like that."   
Begrudgingly, Newt buttoned the top two buttons of his crisp and rather uncomfortable dress shirt.  
      "It's not like I wanted to come here. I'm graduating at the end of this year, and we just moved, I don't understand why I could of just gone to a public highschool."  
His mom scoffed and wrinkled her nose, eyes remaining on the road. "Newton please. This is much better for your future than a shabby public highschool."   
     "How would you know? I've only ever gone to private."  
     "We've talked about this. I do my research. You're going to this school, it's one of the best in this state. Now, drop it."  
Newt rolled his eyes and picked at his slacks. "Whatever."  
     A silence fell between them, the only sound being the rain. He turned over his phone, hoping to see a notification from anything to try and take his mind off of the school. Unfortunately, the bar was empty like it was last time he checked. He looked back out the window at the unchanging scenery of grey buildings against the sky.

     When they had turned into school's parking lot, the rain had become heavier, the sound drumming loud enough to be heard over Newt's music. He pulled the buds out and wrapped them around his phone and set his focus on the building in front of him.  
     Proudly standing two or three stories high, the school was built of red brickwork, large, square windows were set evenly apart, the white framing pristine in contrast to the navy shutters that were on either side of each one. Tall white pillars held up an awning that stretched over the glass entrance to the school and a loop for cars to pull through. Trees and shrubbery was well manicured around the school, the greens vibrant against the gloomy weather.  
     Newt's mom rolled under the awning and parked. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose before looking to her son.  
     "Just, remember to smile and be polite, and everything will be fine, okay?"  
     "Yes, mum." Newt answered quietly,   
She smiled at him. "Good."  
     The two got out of the car and began to unload Newt's luggage and belongings from the car when a man in a pressed suit and a black hat walked up to them, wheeling a luggage cart beside him.  
     "Good afternoon ma'am." He greeted formally, nodding towards Newt's mom. He turned to Newt and stuck out a hand to shake, which he hesitantly took.  
      "Good afternoon sir. My name is John, I'll be helping with your belongings, checking you in and showing you to your dorm."  
Newt opened his mouth to respond, but his mother beat him to it.  
     "This is my son, Newton Issac Jones." She said boastfully. "I will be seeing this school with him."  
     "Of course, Mrs Jones." John replied, packing Newt's things onto the cart before leading them into the school.   
     The brief tour of the school was a blur to Newt, hardly remembering what was where and not caring to try and remember. By the time they had reached his dorm, Newt was almost asleep standing up, longing to put in his earbuds and drown out the rest of the world.  
     "This is going to be your room for the year. Each room has their own bathroom. You will have a roomate who will share the space with you. Is there any questions?" John informed.  
     "No sir." Newt mumbled, stuffing his hands in his shallow pockets.  
     "Well, that would end our little tour. I hope you enjoy your time here at our school, Newton, and I hope that it is up to your standards, Mrs Jones."  
     "It was, thank you for that lovely introduction, John."   
The man nodded curtly before walking down the hallway, leaving Newt and his mom with the cart.  
     "Well, come on, Newton. Let's settle you in."   
     He nodded silently, pushing open the door. Inside there were two twin mattresses on plain wooden frames pushed against the off-white walls on the opposite sides of the room, one under the window that looked over a fenced in area, probably for sports and gym. Beside the beds were small end table. At the ends of each bed there was a simple, short chest of drawers. A table stood in the corner, a divider splitting it in half, and two desk chairs for each side. A door was to his right, presumably the bathroom, and beside that was a closet door.  
     At the bed by the window, a boy with chocolatey brown hair and broad shoulders stood over an open suitcase, clothes stacked neatly on the mattress. The boy turned around to face the two who had entered the room. His eyes were a dark but warm brown, similar to that of his hair. He wore the same uniform as Newt, giving Newt a small sense of relief that he wasn't the only one wearing the uniform. His face lit up as he walked over to him and his mom.  
     "Hey! I'm Thomas! What's your name?" The boy bubbled excitedly.   
     "Name's Newt." He smiled back, Thomas' excitement infectious.   
    "Hello Thomas. I believe you're my son's roomate?" Newt's mom asked dryly.  
    "Yeah!" He replied.   
    "I see." She said. She opened her mouth to say something else, however was interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing. She checked the ID and answered it.   
     "I'm afraid I need to get going. Remember to smile, Newton." She said, tilting the phone away from her face, patting her son's shoulder and leaving the room, Newt and Thomas watching her go. Newt sighed as her voice faded down the corridor.  
     "Newton?" Thomas smirked, trying to hide a laugh. "Like the gravity man?"  
Newt smiled as he turned back to his roomate.   
     "Sure, the gravity man."  
Thomas giggled, his cheeks dimpling. "Okay gravity man, do you want any help unloading that cart?"  
     "No, I think I'll be alright, and you got your own stuff to unpack too."  
The boy shrugged, smile staying spread across his face. "Alright, if you need any help, just ask!"   
     He went back to his suitcase and began to organize his clothes into the drawers of his dresser. Newt pulled his cart towards his bed and unloaded it before beginning to empty his suitcase.  
     Soon enough, his clothes were put into the drawers, bags shoved into the small closet with Thomas', laptop and a picture of him and his sister, Sonya, set on his side of the desk, (him and Thomas had done a few rounds of rock, paper, scissors to decide who got what side) and was making his bed. Satisfied with what he had done, Newt fell onto his bed on his back and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.   
     "You good?" Thomas' voice sounded from the other side of the room.   
     "Yeah, just tired I guess." Newt responded, not opening his eyes.  
"Same here."   
     Newt rolled onto his stomach and turned his head to look over at his roomate who was busy hanging a stack of unframed digital pictures and polaroid photos above his bed.  
     "Do you know if we're allowed to change into something else? I feel like I'm suffocating in this god-awful uniform." He complained.  
     "Nah, I think we have to wear 'em to dinner. We're only allowed to wear casual clothes on the weekends because theres no classes."   
Newt groaned and buried his face in his pillow. "But it's Saturday, so we should be allowed to change."  
     "We can wear whatever tomorrow, gravity man." Thomas giggled.  
Newt didn't respond, instead he smiled into his pillow at the nickname.

     Newt woke up to Thomas gently shaking his arm, the boy perched on the edge of Newt's mattress.  
     "Hey, sleepyhead." He smiled warmly, his hand lingering on Newt's arm.  
The blonde blinked, trying to clear the sleepy fog from his eyes.   
     "How long have I been asleep?"   
     "An hour or so. "  
     "Really? I don't even remember falling asleep."   
Thomas shrugged and took his hand from the boy's arm. Newt found himself slightly missing the contact but pushed the longing from his mind.   
     "Anyways, dinner is in a few minutes, I figured you wouldn't want to miss that."   
Newt sighed and sat up next to his roomate. "Thanks."   
He nodded and stood up, holding his hand out to pull Newt up to his feet, Newt accepting it.  
Attempting to brush away the wrinkles in his shirt and unbuttoning the top two buttons, Newt glanced at Thomas.   
     "Lead the way."

 

     The cafeteria was a big, airy room, large windows that almost reached the ceiling and floors were like a screen to a courtyard with healthy and colorful flowers and an assortment of other plants rooted around the perimeter. Brick paths crossed to another part of the school and met at the center of the yard where some picnic tables were placed. Rain, still as persistent as it was before arriving at the school, drummed against the glass. The floors were wood laminate and round tables were set around the room, surrounded by groups of chairs. A decent amount of students were sat at the tables, conversation adding to the comfortable atmosphere of the place. Newt and Thomas joined the line for food, picking up trays.   
     "The pizza is pretty good here." Thomas said, gesturing to the array of food choices.   
Newt hummed in response, taking his roomate's suggestion.   
     They made their way down the line and got their drinks, Thomas grabbing cola and Newt grabbing water, and sat down at an empty table across from eachother by a window.   
      "How long have you been coming here?" Newt asked, taking a sip of water.  
     "Since freshman year."  
     "Oh, so you probably know this place really well?"  
Thomas nodded as he took a bite of his food.   
     Silence fell between them for a few moments before Newt's phone buzzed. He pulled it from his pocket to see a message from his sister. Opening it, he smiled.   
" _Good luck on your first day! I hope everything is going well and mum wasn't too overbearing, lol._ " She said.  
" _It's been pretty good! Mum got mad at me for having my shirt not buttoned all the way up, she said I wasn't presentable._ "  
     Setting his phone on the table, Newt realized Thomas was looking at him, a soft smile on his features.  
     "What?"   
     "You looked happy."  
Newt felt his face heat up a little bit.  
     "My sister, Sonya, texted me. She still lives back in London, so she was just checking in on me."  
Thomas nodded. "That's sweet."  
     "What about you? Do you have any siblings?"  
     "I have a younger brother, his name is Chuck." He replied, grabbing his phone to pull up a picture. When he found on, he held out his phone for Newt to see. The picture was of Thomas and Chuck baking cookies. Chuck had curly brown hair, the same color of Thomas'. He was beaming at the camera, flour smudged on his cheeks and on the space themed apron he was wearing. Next to him was Thomas, holding a tray of cookie dough, a similar happy smile spread across his lips. The picture had a warm aura about it and Newt mirrored the smiles, looking back to Thomas.  
     "He looks a lot like you."  
     "I get that a lot. When we were younger, my dad used to get us confused." He replied, putting his phone back in his pocket. "Do you have a picture of Sonya?"  
Newt nodded, unlocking his phone and pulling up a picture of his sister. He handed his phone to Thomas.  
      "Oh, she's the one in the picture on your desk?" He asked curiously.   
     "Yeah, we took that at the beach this summer before my mom and I moved."   
     "You guys look alike too."  
Newt shrugged. "I guess so, I don't really see it."   
     "I think it's the hair."  
Thomas handed the phone back, Newt setting it on the table.   
     "If you don't mind me asking, why did you move?"  
     "My mom's job, I think. I honestly don't know the specifics of it all."  
     "That's rough man, I'm sorry."  
     "Eh, It's not that bad, I guess. "  
     "Still."   
     The two looked each other for a while, not taking their eyes away, nor really wanting to. It was only until a voice crackled to life over an intercom that they had broken their gazes. Heart beating a little faster, Newt came back to his senses to listen to what the announcer had to say.  
      "Welcome and good evening students of Glade-Hawking Private Institute. We hope you all have been able to get settled in to your dorms and our facility. As many of you know, it is currently the weekend, and classes are not held on the weekends. On weekends you are permitted to wear casual clothing, considering that they fit into our dress code guidelines. Classes will not begin until Monday. If there are any questions, please ask a staff member at the front desk by calling or walking there. Have good night."  
     The speakers clicked off and the conversation that filled the cafeteria resumed, seeming louder than before.  
      "Well, I'm gonna head back to the room to take a shower. You gonna stay here or go back too?" Thomas asked, getting up from his seat.   
      "I'll come back, I can't wait to get out of this uniform."   
     Newt stood up and walked with his roomate, putting their trays and cups on a rack for dirty tray and left the cafeteria togetheer, walking in a comfortable silence.

 

     Newt stood on his bed, holding a bag of plastic stars in his hand and using the other to press stars to the ceiling with sticky tack. Moments ago he was relaxing when he remembered that he had packed the little stars and decided to put them above his bed. They reminded him of his childhood, when he had many of them scattered across his ceiling and furniture, glowing whenever he turned off the lights. They reminded him of home.  
     Putting up the last few in the bag, he heard the bathroom door open behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw his roomate wearing a baggy shirt and plaid sweatpants, his wet hair sticking to his forehead.  
"Hey Thomas." Newt said as he pushing the last star to the ceiling.  
     "What're you doing?" Thomas asked.  
     "Just putting up these stars. I hope you don't mind."  
     "No, I don't. I actually used to have some of those."   
     Newt smiled and went to step off the bed when his foot slipped off the edge and he fell forward. Time seemed to speed up in that moment and the next thing he knew was that two arms were wrapped around him, keeping him from the floor. Newt looked up to meet Thomas' eyes.  His heart skipped a beat as he felt his cheeks heat up.   
     "You okay?" Thomas asked.  
     "Y-yeah, I'm okay." Newt answered, his heart pounding in his chest.   
Thomas helped him back to his feet. His hands moved to Newt's shoulders where they rested for a moment.   
     "You sure you're okay?"   
     "Yeah, I'm sure. Thanks Thomas."    
He grinned and patted the boy's shoulders before stuffing his hands in his pockets.    
     "No problem. Maybe be a little more careful next time?"  
Newt's face flushed more and he looked down at the ground. "Yeah." 

 

     The room was dark, Newt laying on his bed and scrolling through social media. Thomas was asleep and the room was quiet, the kind of quiet that puts someone on edge. He couldn't sleep. His mind was racing and he felt nervous, thinking he saw things in the shadowy corners of the room, despite knowing nothing was there.  
     Sighing, he put his phone on the bedside table and plugged it in before rolling on his back to look up at the glow stars. The glow they had at the beginning of the night was almost gone. He traced imaginary patterns between them, making up his own little constellations. Eventually becoming frustrated, he rolled on his side to face Thomas' bed.   
     "Thomas?" He whispered.  
A few seconds passed before he heard material shifting and heard Thomas whisper back. "Yeah?"  
     "Are you awake?"  
     "Kind of, why?"  
     "I can't sleep, I feel really nervous."  
     "Over what?"  
     "Everything and nothing, I guess."   
     "If you're worried about school, it's gonna be alright Newt. I get that it's gonna be a little scary at first, but you're gonna do good. I believe in you. You're gonna be great."  
Newt smiled softly. "Thanks."  
     "Don't mention it. Goodnight Newt."   
    "'Night, Thomas."  
     The smile remained on his face, quietly thanking whoever was in charge of assigning roomates for giving him Thomas. His mind slowed as those words repeated over and over in his head. His eyelids began to feel heavy and closed his eyes, those words being the last thing he thought of before he slipped into sleep.  
" _I believe in you._ "


	2. chapter two

_song: sunflower by post malone and swae lee_

"Do you wanna go out?"   
Newt glanced up from a sketch he was working on and gave Thomas a confused look.  
    "What?"  
    "Do you wanna go out, like go downtown? There's a really nice ice cream place not too far and there's a lot of small shops. I understand if you don't want to."  
    "I'd love to, Thomas, I just don't really know the area." Newt frowned.   
    "Don't worry, I wouldn't let you get lost."  
Newt chewed on his lip for a second before standing up from his bed. "Alright, let's go out."   
Thomas' face immediately brightened and he smiled excitedly as he grabbed his phone and wallet off the desk.   
    "You might wanna grab a jacket," He said, pulling on his own jacket. "It's chilly out, and I wouldn't want you to get cold."  
Newt laughed softly, pulling a yellow hoodie on. "Okay, mom."   
    They slipped on their shoes, checked to make sure they had their keys to their dorm and walked out, making their way outside. The sky was still a similar grey that was yesterday, a cold breeze rustling the leaves on the trees. Newt stuffed his hands in his pockets and tucked his chin into the neckline of the hoodie, cursing himself for underestimating how cold it actually was outside.   
    "Are you already cold? Do you want to go back and grab another hoodie?" Thomas asked, tilting his head to the side some.   
    "Oh no, I think I'll be alright."   
    "I don't want you to be cold the whole time though! Here, I'll run back to the room and I'll be right back, okay?"  
Before Newt could protest, Thomas was already gone, running back into the school and down the hall. Smiling and shaking his head, Newt walked into the lobby of the school and sat down on one of the couches, waiting for Thomas to come back.   
    The lobby was quiet, save for the steady noise of typing coming from the front desk where a secretary sat and the ticking of a large, ornate clock on the wall. Newt picked at his nails anxiously, trying to ignore the slight lonely feeling that was definitely not because of the absence of the other boy, no sir.

    A few minutes later, Thomas came sprinting back into the lobby, trying to catch his breath.  
    "Sorry it took so long, I didn't know what drawer you kept you hoodies in, and I didn't want to go rummaging through your stuff so I grabbed one of my jackets." He grinned, cheeks pink.  
Newt felt his face heat up a bit as he took the jacket from his roommate and slipped it on. It was made of soft black leather, a warm material lining the inside. It was a little big, the sleeves falling over his hands.   
    "Thanks, Thomas." He smiled as he blushed, heart warming.   
    "You're welcome." Thomas replied, setting a hand on Newt's arm. "C'mon, we should get going."

    The ice cream parlor was styled like an old-timey diner, the floor being white and black checkered tiles, booths red with metal tables. Calm music sounded through the parlor paired with the scent of desserts and warm lighting, the atmosphere cozy and welcoming. A couple and a few families sat at the booths, little children giggling while eating their ice cream. Newt admired the old photographs and newspaper clippings that were framed and hung on the walls, giving a feeling of almost tangible nostalgia for something, despite having never experienced it. As he turned to take everything in, his eyes met Thomas', a soft look reflecting from them.  
    "What?"  
    "Oh nothing, you just seemed really amazed by this place."  
    "I mean, I guess you could say that."  
    "Have you ever been to an ice cream parlor?"  
    "Yeah, but not one like this before."  
Thomas smiled. "Well I hope you like it!"   
Newt followed Thomas to the counter where an employee stood in front of a chalkboard menu written in pastel colors and neat, bubbly script.   
    "Hello boys, what can I get for you today?" The cashier woman greeted cheerily.  
    "I would like a strawberry shake, please." Thomas answered before stepping back for Newt to order.   
Scanning the menu, Newt decided on a vanilla shake and placed his order.   
    "Alright, that will be six dollars and thirty three cents."   
Newt reached into his pocket for his wallet but stopped when he felt Thomas place a hand on his back, heart beating a little faster at the sudden contact.  
    "Don't worry, I'll pay."   
    "You don't have to, Thomas, I'll cover mine." Newt argued.   
    "It's only six dollars, I'm paying."  
Shaking his head, Newt relented and let Thomas pay.   
After getting their shakes, the two sat at a booth together.  
    "So, you said you used to live in London?" Thomas asked, taking a sip of his shake. "What was it like?"  
    "It was nice, honestly not too much different from here, I guess."  
    "Is the weather stereotype really true?"  
    "At times, yeah."  
Newt tried a bit of his shake, smiling at Thomas.  
    "D'you like it?"  
    "Yeah, it's good!"  
He sipped from his shake again, stirring it with the red and white striped straw.   
    "Hey you got a little whipped cream on your cheek." Thomas laughed gently.  
    "I do?" Newt frowned and wiped at his cheek.  
    "No, you missed it, it's right- here let me just-" Thomas reached forward and brushed the whipped cream away with his thumb. Newt felt his face heat up as his roommate pulled his hand away.   
    "Thanks,Tommy," He froze. "I-I mean Thomas."   
    Newt's heart thumped in his chest, avoiding Thomas' gaze, damn it why did he have to say _that_ -  
Thomas smiled softly. "Tommy?"  
The blond hesitated.  
    "I meant Thomas."  
    "I like it."  
_He likes it?_  
Newt blinked, momentarily surprised, before he mirrored Thomas's smile, ignoring the fact that his face was probably redder than a tomato. "Okay, Tommy."  
The two continued talking and drinking their shakes, cracking bad jokes every now and then.   
When the shakes were finished, Thomas took out his phone and opened the camera.   
    "Do you want to take a picture?"   
    "Sure."   
Thomas smiled- _god_ , he's always smiling, Newt thought as he leaned across the table to be in frame. Thomas stretched his arm out to take the picture and leaned a little over the table as well, his shoulder brushing Newt's.   
_Don't think about it_ he thought, trying to distract himself from the happy feeling he got from Thomas' arm around him.   
(Spoiler alert, it didn't work)   
    After the picture was taken, the two left a tip on the table before leaving the parlor. Outside the sky seemed greyer than it was earlier, the air a little colder.   
    "Well, where to now?" Newt asked.  
    "I was thinking we could go around to a couple shops, but if you wanna go back to the school, that's fine too."  
    "I wouldn't mind going to a few places."  
    "Alright, cool!"   
    Thomas glanced around for a moment before pulling his roomate towards a shop with glass doors. Inside, the black walls were covered in racks of color-coded clothing, one wall displaying colorful skateboard decks, canvas shoes with varied designs and hats, ranging from baseball caps to wide brim sun hats. Stands were placed around the store holding smaller things like jewelry and sunglasses. Pop music flowed through the shop.  
A guy dressed in dark colors with a golden name tag hanging from a checkered lanyard welcomed the boys before going to hang a few shirts.  
    "Oh my god, Newt, Look!"  
Newt, having turned his attention towards Thomas, watched as his roommate excitedly pointed towards one of the stands holding phone cases.   
    "What about them?"   
    "This!" Thomas pulled one off the stand and showed it to Newt. "I love it!"   
The case had little cartoon pineapples and rainbow sunglasses patterned onto it against a white and black checkered background. To anyone else, Thomas' reaction would have seemed over the top and maybe a little childish, but Newt found it adorable, smiling back.  
    "I think it's cool, Tommy."   
    "Really?"   
    "Really."  
Thomas beamed. "Well, I think I'll get it then."  
He turned back to the rack and chose the case that would fit his phone before returning to Newt's side.   
    "Is there anything that you wanna look at?"   
Newt scanned the shop, a rack of tees with various graphics catching his eye.   
    "Those shirts, I guess."   
They walked over to the rack, Thomas stopping at a nearby one while Newt flipped through the shirts. Deciding on a long sleeve NASA shirt, he draped it over his arm and walked back to Thomas, who had moved on to the wall of hats.   
    "Did you find somthin'?" The brunet asked, pulling a camo print sunhat off the wall.  
    "Yeah, this shirt."  
He looked at the shirt and smiled. "I like it."   
    "Thanks."   
Thomas squinted at the hat for a few moments before looking back at Newt and setting it on his roomate head.   
    "What are you doing?" Newt asked.  
    "You'll see. Wait here," He walked to a rack of sunglasses, spinning it around before settling on a pair with wide white rims and going back to Newt. "Put these on."  
Newt raised an eyebrow but took the glasses and put them on as asked.  
    "I'm sure I look bloody ridiculous, Tommy."   
Thomas bit back a laugh. "No, you look great."  
    "Are you sure about that?"  
He laughed before pulling out his phone and took a picture, showing it to Newt.  
    "Oh my god." He groaned, taking off the sunglasses.   
Of course he didn't look awful, however the combination of a camo hat and huge glasses paired with the rest of his outfit looked pretty odd.   
Thomas took the hat off and put it back on the wall, looking back to Newt.   
    "Sorry."   
    "It's fine, Tommy."  
    A moment of silence fell between them, not awkward or uncomfortable, no it was more like hesitation, both of them ready to say something but neither wanting to talk first, for fear of saying something stupid, until finally Thomas got past it.   
    "Well, is there anything you want to look at in here?"  
Newt chewed on his lower lip for a second. "No, you?"   
Thomas shook his head. "Nah."  
They headed to checkout and paid for their items, Thomas putting the new case on his phone before leaving the store.   
Outside, the sky had gotten darker and rain was coming down in sheets, and the rumble of thunder wasn't too far off. The store didn't have an awning, the boys trying their best to stay huddled in the small doorway and out of the rain.   
    "Damn, this sucks." Thomas muttered.  
    "Really? I couldn't tell."  
Thomas rolled his eyes and playfully elbowed Newt.   
    "So, what do we do?" The blond asked.  
    "Well, I guess we could go," Thomas hesitated, scanning the street before pointing at a shop across the street with a large awning. "We could run over there, and wait for a taxi, maybe?"   
    "Whatever you say, Tommy."  
    "Alright, on three." He looked to Newt. "One, two, three."   
    The two took off, Thomas taking the lead. As they sprinted across the street, the brunet reached back and grabbed Newt's hand, pulling him closer to the opposite sidewalk and under the awning. Thomas laughed breathlessly as he shook his head, water droplets flying from his hair. Newt smiled and looked down, then realizing his hand still being held by the other boy.

His heart jumped.

Thomas noticed and moved to let go. "Sorry."

_Wait._

Newt intertwined his fingers with Thomas' before even knowing what he was doing.

Thomas looked at him curiously.

_Well now you've done it._

    "It's- I don't mind, actually."

_What the hell were you thinking Newt?_

Thomas beamed and squeezed his hand. "Okay, I thought you'd think it was weird."

_I'd never_

Newt shook his head and smiled back, trying to calm his heart.   
    "So we just wait here now until a cab comes along?"   
    "Yeah, I guess so."   
    They stood there under that awning together, watching the rain come down with force, however a touch of grace to it beneath the loud pattering on the pavement. Neither said a word, soft smiles across their features and enjoying each other's company.

And of course, neither said a word about the little shifts to try and get a bit closer.

    When a taxi did come down the street, Thomas ran forward to get the driver to stop, leaving Newt under the awning. The driver pulled over and allowed the boys to get in. They gave the address and buckled their seatbelts. The driver- a middle-aged man with a plaid hat and sweater vest- had some talk channel on the radio to tune out the rain.   
Newt carefully reached his hand out on the seat, palm up in hopes to get Thomas' attention, and it did. The brunet slipped his hand into Newt's, intertwining their fingers like they had only moments before.

It was nice, really.

    After an uneventful ride back to the school, Thomas and Newt made their way to their dorm, still hand-in-hand, much to Newt's delight.  
    "What do you think they're gonna have for dinner today?" Newt asked.  
    "Honestly, I don't know." The brunet shrugged.   
They reached their room, Thomas going to unlock the door before a flurry of loud footsteps followed by yelling caught their attention.   
    Turning to the commotion, Newt watched as a tan boy came careening around the corner, being chased by a girl with long brown hair pulled into a bun.   
The boy looked up and ran behind Thomas, peeking over his shoulder. The girl came up to them, hands on her hips.  
    "Tom, he took my phone, let me at him." She said, trying to make eye contact with the other boy.  
    "Well you were making fun of me!" He shot back.   
Newt looked at the three in confusion. "I'm sorry, what's going on?"   
    "Sorry," Thomas sighed, stepping away from Minho and dropping Newt's hand. "Newt, meet Teresa and Minho. Teresa and Minho, meet Newt."  
Teresa smiled at Newt- a complete one eighty from her yelling,- her icy blue eyes shining. "Hi, Newt, nice to meet you."  
    "Newt's a funny name." Minho said, squinting. "I like it. Is it short for something?"  
    "Newton."   
Minho nodded.   
    "Are you Thomas' roomate?" Teresa asked, dropping her arms to her sides.  
    "Yeah."  
    "I was his roomate in freshman year. He wouldn't stop snoring, I almost had to kick him out."  
    "You're the one who snored, Minho."  
He faked an offended look, scoffing. "Unlikely, I believe it was you."  
Thomas opened his mouth to respond, probably to say something sarcastic back, but Teresa spoke first.  
    "Hey, before Minho forgets, I'd like my phone back, please."   
    "Fine, but chasing me through the school was not funny, Resa." Minho grumbled, taking her phone out of his pocket and handed it back to her.  
    "It was just from the lobby."  
    "Whatever."      
    "Where's your guys' dorm at?" Newt questioned, partially trying to stop the bickering and partially wanting to know a little more about them.  
    "Mine's right next door to yours." Minho said, gesturing to the door next to theirs. "That is, if that's your dorm. I got settled in when you guys weren't here. Or maybe you were, and just were inside."  
    "That's our room, yeah." Thomas interjected. "And we just got back from town, got rained on pretty bad."  
    "I can tell, you guys kinda look like shit." Teresa said.  
    "Thanks, Tess, really helps a lot."  
Newt laughed softly at the look on Thomas' face before turning back to Teresa. "How about you? Where's your dorm?"   
    "It's a couple halls over, in the girl's wing."   
    "Well, I don't know about you guys but I'm hungry." Minho piped up.  
    "I could go for a bite, yeah." Newt said.   
    "Same." Teresa agreed  
    "We'll head down in a sec, just let me drop off my jacket." Thomas said, unlocking the dorm and pushing open the door.   
Newt threw his bag with the shirt on his bed and took off Thomas' jacket handing it back to him, and he thought that he most definitely did not miss wearing it.  
(Even though he most definitely did)

    To Newt's credit, he didn't plan the night to turn out like this, but he sure as hell wasn't going to complain.

    After going to a dinner full of lively conversation and bad jokes, Newt found himself already quite comfortable with talking with Minho and Teresa. It was almost as if they had know each other for year.  He had learned that they had met Thomas in elementary, when Minho threw a football at him, trying to impress a not-so-interested Teresa.  He laughed at the story as Thomas insisted he still had a scar above his eyebrow where the ball hit him. Many other stories were shared- many of which included Thomas and Minho doing something stupid together, like the time they put plastic rats in Minho's kitchen in attempt to scare his sister Jamie, however it only resulted in them forgetting about it and scaring themselves- all of which made Newt laugh and smile.   
    At some point while Teresa and Minho were arguing over what happened that one time in eighth grade, Newt and Thomas had moved their chairs closer, knees touching and hand-in-hand under the table.   
    When they were finished, Minho suggested they all come over to his dorm since his roommate hadn't showed up yet, and watch a movie together, and of course they agreed.   
    Teresa had gone back to her room quickly to change into pyjamas before rejoining them in Minho's room and they decided, after much debate, to watch 'the Meg'.   
    So there they sat, sprawled out on a shag rug and pillows in front of Minho's laptop set up on a few books. Newt sat next to Thomas, Minho on the other side of Thomas, and Teresa beside Minho.

    And now, only a few minutes remained of the film and Newt found himself leaning on Thomas, head on his shoulder and Thomas' arm around his back while they shared a blanket. Minho lay on his stomach across Thomas' legs, multiple blankets covering him. Teresa rested her head on Minho's upper back, wrapped up in her own blanket.   
    In that moment, through the warmth and sleepiness, Newt felt something, was it content or happiness? He couldn't tell, and honestly, didn't really care. There, under Thomas' arm and surrounded by newfound friends, he didn't want the moment to end. It truly felt amazing.

    When the credits started scrolling on screen, Minho reached out and hit the spacebar and yawned.   
    "What did you guys think? I thought it was pretty cool." He asked.  
    "I thought it was good." Teresa said, sitting up and running a hand through her messy hair. "What about you two?"  
    "I liked it." Thomas nodded.   
    "Me too." Newt added.   
Before someone could say anything else, a phone rang. Thomas pulled out his and squinted at the screen.  
    "It's my brother, he wants to video chat, you guys don't mind, do you?"  
    "No, not at all, Tom!"  
    "Go ahead!"   
Thomas grinned and answered, holding out the phone so everyone could see and fit in.  
    "Hey, Chuck!" He said, lifting his arm from around Newt to wave before dropping it back down to be around his roomate.   
    "Hi Thomas! How's everything so far?" The younger boy beamed, his curly hair bouncing.   
    "It's been pretty good!"   
    "How are you, little man?" Minho asked, waving.  
    "I'm good, Minho! I got settled in yesterday after we dropped of Thomas!"  
    "Aren't you at a new school this year?" Teresa questioned.  
    "Yeah, I am! Everyone here is really nice! My roommate is cool too, but he isn't here right now." Chuck rambled on before noticing Newt. "Who's this?"   
    "This is Newt, he's my roomate." Thomas introduced.   
Newt smiled sleepily and waved. "Hi."   
    "Hi! I'm sure you probably already knew, but I'm Thomas' brother!"  
A door opened behind Chuck and a boy who looked about his age walked in.  
    "That's my roomate, his name is George!" Chuck introduced. He turned to the other boy. "George come meet my brother and his friends!"   
George walked over and waved, saying hi, letting Chuck point out who is who on the screen before he walked over to his bed and laid down.  
    "Anyway, I should probably get to bed, it's getting late, thanks for picking up! It was great to see all of you and meet you! Goodnight!"  
    "Goodnight Chuck!" They replied, waving goodbye.   
The call cut off and Thomas put his phone back in his pocket.   
    "Well, I should head back to my dorm before curfew." Teresa yawned and stretched before standing up. "Thanks for having us over, Minho."   
    "No problem, Resa. See you tomorrow." The asian boy replied, still laying on the floor.  
    "Night." Thomas said.  
    "G'night." Newt added, rubbing his eyes.   
    "See you all in the morning, don't stay up too late, okay?"  
    "Gotcha, Tess."   
Teresa smiled before leaving Minho's room.   
    "I should probably get to sleep too." Thomas said. "What about you, Newt?"  
    "I'm quite tired, yeah."   
Minho rolled over on his back. "Yeah, I guess I could get a little sleep."   
Thomas stood up, holding out his hand to help up Newt. He took it and got to his feet, blinking away the slight dizziness from sitting for a while.  
    "Night, you two." Minho said.   
    "Night, Minho."   
    They left the room and walked into theirs, not bothering to turn on the lights, given that enough light from the streetlamps filtered in through the window above Thomas' bed to see vague shapes and where to go.   
    Newt went and brushed his teeth, Thomas going in the bathroom when the blond left. He fell onto his bed and sighed, staring up at the plastic stars that had little glow left. He tried to push away the thoughts missing the feeling of Thomas' arm around him. Newt shook his head.

    He knew this boy for barely two days, not even that, and he was already being affectionate as if they had known each other for years, and missing him as if he had a crush on him-

No, he definitely did not have a crush on Thomas, Newt was sure of it.

    Almost if on cue, the brunet left the bathroom, his form shadowed by the minimal light.   
    "You doing alright?" He asked, sitting on his own bed.  
    "Yeah."  
    "I know it's hard, but don't stress out about tomorrow, okay?"  
    "I'll give it my best."  
    "Try to get some sleep, Newt. I'll see you in the morning."  
Newt could have been fooling himself, but he thought for a second that he could hear the smile in his voice  
_Damn, my ears must be playing tricks on me_  
    "You too, Tommy."   
    As he slipped under his covers, Newt replayed the day in his mind, the parlor, the shop, holding hands in the rain, leaning on each other, mostly focusing on the moments of getting closer to the other boy. He felt his heart warm, the feeling of happy butterflies in his stomach was undeniable, and despite thinking he was a bit of a fool, he admitted to himself:  
    Okay, maybe he had a little crush on Thomas.


	3. chapter three

_song- what a heavenly way to die by troye sivan_  


     When his alarm went off the following morning, Newt felt like he didn't sleep at all.    
  
He smacked at his phone until the sound shut off and sat up, rubbing his face. The room was dark, Thomas still asleep.   


Newt slid off his bed and unplugged his phone, reading the time. 4:25.    
  


_ Why the hell did I set that so early? _ _  
  
_

Sighing, he grabbed his uniform from his dresser and went to the bathroom to shower.   
  
As he waited for the water to heat up, he noticed a few neon sticky notes stuck on the mirror, all written in messy black ink.   
  
" _ You're going to be amazing :D _ " one read.   
  
Another below it read " _ You got this _ !"   
  
The final one was " _ I believe in you <3 _ "    
  
Newt smiled at the little notes, fingers brushing over the words.   
  
_ They're probably not for you _ he thought, chewing on his bottom lip. He hoped that they were. Then again, who else would they be for?   
  
He waved his hand in the stream of water, testing the temperature before undressing and stepping in.   
  
When he got out, he pulled on his uniform and wiped off the fogged up mirror with his towel before using it to dry his hair. He clicked open his phone to check the time. 5:10.    
  
Newt looked back in the mirror, running his hand through his hair and smoothed out his shirt. He smiled halfheartedly at his reflection. He tried to convince himself that there's nothing to be worried about. He read the notes again, taking a deep breath.   
  
"I can do this." Newt said quietly, looking back to the mirror and nodding to himself. "I can and I will."   
  
Reading the notes one last time, Newt left the bathroom.    
  
Thomas was still asleep, so Newt grabbed his sketchbook, sat at his desk, and clicked on the small lamp. He attempted to keep the light from being too much of a disturbance to Thomas. He opened to a blank page and tapped the end of the pencil against the paper, trying to think of what to draw.    
  
As he looked around the room, he noticed an unframed picture on Thomas' side of the desk. Curious, Newt carefully picked it up and squinted at it.    
  
It was the picture of them from the ice cream parlor.    
  
Newt admired the picture, eyes scanning over every little detail. He turned the photo over, realizing that there was something written on the back. The date was written in Thomas' messy handwriting along with their names and the name of the parlor. It was all followed by a small heart.   
  
Newt smiled, heart warming at just about everything about the photo. He set it back on the desk and leaned back in the chair. He sighed, still smiling.    
  
Then he got an idea.   
  
He sat back up and looked for his own sticky notes. He found them and wrote _ I believe in you too, Tommy <3 _ on one, drawing little stars around the words. He pulled it off and went back to the bathroom, sticking it under Thomas' notes. He smiled and went back to his desk and picked up the sketchbook again.   
  
When Thomas woke up a while later, around 5:50, Newt had a sketch of the dorm on the paper in front of him.    
  
Thomas sat up in bed, stretching before making eye contact with Newt. He smiled.    
  
"Good morning." He said.   
  
"Mornin', Tommy. How'd you sleep?"   
  
"Alright, I guess. It took me a bit before I finally did fall asleep. What about you?"   
  
"Fine."    
  
Thomas nodded, standing up. "Have you gone for breakfast yet?"    
  
"No, I took a shower and been sitting here since." Newt replied, realizing how hungry he actually was. "I wanted to wait for you."    
  
"Thanks."    
  
Thomas grabbed his uniform and went into the bathroom.    
  
Newt went back to his sketch.   
  
Not too long after, Thomas came out of the bathroom, his hair wet.    
  
He walked over and leaned on the back of Newt's chair, looking down at his sketch.    
  
"That's really good, Newt!"   
  
Newt could feel his face heat a bit.   
  
"Thanks."   
  
"Do you want to become an artist? Like, for a job?"   
  
Newt bit his lip. "Not really, I want to go into botany, but I wouldn't mind if I could make art into a side career of some sort."    
  
"That's cool! That's what I wanna do." Thomas said, pulling over his desk chair. "Well, not exactly, I'm not great with plants, and I can hardly draw a circle. I want to be a chef and do photography on the side, you know?"   
  
Newt smiled. "Yeah. That would be pretty cool, you're pretty good at photography, and seem to like it."   
  
He gestured at the mass amount of pictures up on the walls around Thomas' bed, some framed, others not.   
  
"Thanks. I've been into since I was younger."   
  
Thomas checked the time on his phone and stood up. "You're probably hungry, c'mon, lets go get breakfast."   
  
"Should I bring anything? Like, are we going to come back here and grab anything for classes?"   
  
"Oh, yeah. I'd grab your laptop and something to write on."   
  
Newt nodded, getting up to grab a backpack from the closet. He stuffed his laptop and a few sheets of loose-leaf paper.   
  
He looked back to the other boy.   
  
"You ready?"   
  
"Yeah."    
  
Thomas smiled, swinging his bag over his shoulder and opened the door. Newt walked out first and turned around, when he noticed a yellow envelope in a file holder on the door.    
  
Not paying any mind to the fact he didn't know that was there until now, he grabbed the envelope and opened it.    
  
Inside, there were two schedules.   
  
He handed the one titled with Thomas' name to his roomate and looked over his own.   
  
_ Jones, Newton I, Grade 12 _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Semester 1 Schedule _ _  
_ _  
_ _ AP Economics _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Drawing and 2D Design _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Calculus _ _  
_ _  
_ _ AP Biology _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Lunch B _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Advanced English 12 _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Physical Education _ _  
_   
Thomas glanced over at Newt's schedule and showed his.    
  
_ Greene, Thomas E, Grade 12 _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Semester 1 Schedule _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Psychology  _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Pre-Calculus _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Advanced Photography  _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Lunch B _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Advanced English 12 _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Advanced Foods 2 _ _  
_   
"Wow, you've got a lot of AP classes man," Thomas said. "I think your schedule called me dumb."   
  
"I'm sure it didn't, Tommy." Newt replied, laughing.   
  
Thomas smiled and looked back to the schedules. "Hey, we have lunch and english together!"   
  
"Yeah, we do."   
  
Thomas' smile stayed on his face, cheeks dimpling.   
  
Newt's heart beat faster, god damn why does he seem so cute when he does that-   
  
He stopped.   
  
He definitely did not call Thomas cute. No way.   
  
"Hey, earth to Newt." Thomas said, waving his hand a little bit. "You good there, man?"   
  
Newt blinked. "Oh, yeah. Sorry."   
  
"You sure?"    
  
"I'm fine, Tommy. Just a little hungry."   
  
"Oh yeah, I- god, sorry, let's go get something to eat."   
  
They started down the corridor when Newt felt Thomas slip his hand into his.    
  
Newt smiled and squeezed Thomas' hand.   
  
They walked into the cafeteria together and grabbed breakfast- which was pancakes- and drinks.   
  
Before they chose a table, Teresa called them over, waving.    
  
"Hey, Tess." Thomas said as he sat down across the table from her.   
  
"Hi Tom, Newt."   
  
Newt nodded. "Mornin'."   
  
"How'd you guys sleep?"    
  
"Fine, I guess."   
  
"I slept okay." Newt said, taking a sip of his tea.   
  
"Good good." She brushed a strand of wavy hair out of her face. "What's your schedules?"   
  
Newt handed her his, and let her scan over it.   
  
"We've got lunch together." She said, smiling.   
  
"Really?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
Thomas gave her his schedule.    
  
"Tom, didn't you take photo already?"   
  
"Maybe." Thomas smirked, taking a bite of pancake.   
  
"Whatever, we have psych and lunch together." She said, handing the paper back.   
  
"Hey guys."   
  
Minho dropped his tray on the table- stacked high with an excessive amount of pancakes, Newt may add. He took a seat next to Teresa.    
  
"Good morning, Minho." Teresa said, eyeing the stack of syrup-drenched pancakes.   
  
"Morning."   
  
He took a long sip from a coffee mug.   
  
"That's a lot of food, Min, you aren't gonna eat all that, are you?" Thomas asked wearily.   
  
"Watch me."    
  
The boy took a bite, keeping solid eye contact with Thomas the entire time.   
  
"What d'you got on your schedule?" Newt asked.   
  
"Uh, honestly I don't know, I didn't even look at it." Minho said.    
  
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded and somewhat wrinkled paper before handing it to Newt.   
  
_ Park, Minho L, Grade 12 _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Semester 1 Schedule _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Pre-Calculus _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Life Management _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Psychology _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Lunch B _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Lifeguarding _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Advanced English 12 _ _  
_   
"We've got lunch." Newt said, setting the paper on the table, Teresa grabbing it next.   
  
"Nice."   
  
"We all have the same lunch, then." Thomas noted.   
  
"Damn, really? That's lucky."    
  
"Yeah."    
  
Newt chewed on his lip for a moment. "I actually don't know where any of these rooms are, now that I think about it."   
  
"Didn't you get a tour?" Teresa asked, raising an eyebrow   
  
"I might've been half asleep through it."   
  
"That's alright, I'll show you around." Thomas said.    
  
"But then you'll be late to your classes."    
  
"Believe me, he does not care." Teresa interjected, rolling her eyes.   
  
"Eh, I know a lot of the staff, they won't mind."    
  
"We get it, Thomas, you're a teacher's pet." Minho commented through a mouthful of food.   
  
"No I'm not!"    
  
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that."   
  
Thomas huffed and slouched in his seat, arms crossed.    
  
Newt laughed and set his hand lightly on Thomas' knee.    
  
He glanced at the blond from the corner of his eye, a small grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. He placed his own hand on top of Newt's.   
  
"When do classes start?" Newt asked, still looking at his roommate.    
  
"They start," Teresa clicked on her phone and swiped at the screen a few times. "At seven-thirty. It's six-fifty right now."   
  
"Okay. Thanks, Teresa."    
  
She nodded, going back to her breakfast.   
  
Newt picked at his own.    
  


  
The group finished eating (to Newt's surprise, Teresa's indifference and Thomas' dismay, Minho did in fact, eat the entire stack of pancakes).   
They parted ways, Thomas staying with Newt to show him to his first class.   
  
"So what's your first class again?" Thomas asked.    
  
"It's AP Econ."   
  
"That's probably gonna be down," he hesitated for a second. "The history hall."   
  
"History hall?"    
  
"It's labelled as A Hall, but everyone calls it the history hall, that’s where the history classes are."   
  
Newt nodded and took a deep breath.   
  
_ Keep your calm, Newt. _ _  
_   
"You okay?"    
  
"Yeah, just nerves."    
  
Thomas chewed on his lip before taking both of Newt's hands into his.    
  
"You're gonna do great, okay? I know it's scary because it's a new school,"   
  
The blond's gaze dropped to his shoes.   
  
"And a whole new country, Tommy. I‘ve got no idea what to expect, and yeah, there's a lot similarities but I still don't know everything and I just-"   
  
Newt stopped and cursed himself under his breath. His hands were shaking, despite Thomas holding them. His rambling only made the gnawing ball of anxiety in his stomach worse.    
  
"Hey," Thomas said, barely above a whisper.   
  
Newt kept his eyes on the ground.   
  
Thomas tugged his roommate closer to the wall and out of the student traffic, a concerned look on his face.   
  
"Hey, look at me."   
  
Newt obliged, trying to blink away the burning feeling behind his eyes.    
  
He would not be caught crying on the first day of school in the hallway.   
  
"I can only imagine what you're feeling right now, but it's going to all be okay, okay? I know I keep saying that, but it’s true."    
  
He paused for a second before taking out his phone.   
  
"Here, there's my number. If you need anything, text me."   
  
Newt took out his own phone and typed in his number, and let Thomas type in his.   
  
"Thanks, Tommy."   
  
Thomas smiled. "Is it alright if I hug you?"   
  
Newt nodded and wrapped his arms around his roommate, Thomas doing the same.   
  
"You don't have to ask, Tommy." Newt said, resting his head on his shoulder.   
  
"Mm, well I didn't want to upset you more by accident."   
  
"I assure you, you wouldn't."   
  
They stood there for a few moments, Newt was sure Thomas could feel his heart pounding against his ribs.   
  
Eventually, Thomas pulled away and slipped his hand back into Newt's. "You ready?"   
  
"As ready as I'll ever be."    
  
They made their way through the halls until finally reaching Newt's class.    
  
"I'll see you after, okay?"   
  
"You don't have to go out of your way for me."   
  
"Well, I don't want you to get lost, and I don't mind."   
  
Newt grinned. "Alright then, Tommy."    
  
As Thomas started to walk away, Newt grabbed his hand again.   
  
"Could I get one more hug?"    
  
The brunet laughed softly and pulled his roommate to his chest.   
  
"Of course. You don't have to ask either, you know."   
  
"Well I know now."    
  
They broke the hug, waving to each other as Thomas walked down the corridor with happy smiles on both their faces.    
  
When he turned out of sight, Newt sighed, pushed open the classroom door and found a seat at the back of the room.   
  
His phone buzzed.   
  
He checked it, a text from a number without a name reading:   
  
_ so you got my notes this morning? :) _ _  
_   
Newt's smile returned, typing out his response.   
  
_ i did, yeah. you get mine? :) _ _  
_   
As he waited, he set the contact name to  _ 'Tommy <3’ _   
  
_ yeah, i liked the little stars :) _ _  
_   
He went to reply again, but was stopped when two more messages came in.   
  
_ and the heart _ _  
_ _  
_ _ heres one for you too <3 _ _  
_ _  
_ _ thanks tommy <3 _ _  
_   
The blond he put his phone away. 

  
_ You can do this. _ _  
_   
  
"Whoever thought pre-calc was a good idea can suck it."   
  
It was lunchtime, seconds had barely passed after Thomas and Newt sat down before Minho was ranting about his classes.   
  
"Min, it's literally the first day, we haven't even started any lessons." Thomas said.    
  
"Doesn't matter," He stabbed at his salad with his fork. "I'll say it again, whoever came up with pre-calc can  _ suck it. _ "   
  
"How was your guy's classes?" Teresa said.   
  
"They were alright. Pre-calc is great so far." Thomas replied.    
  
He smirked at Minho while saying the last few words, Minho responding by sticking his tongue out.    
  
"What about you, Newt?"    
  
"They were good, the teachers seem pretty nice."   
  
"You get around okay?"    
  
"Yeah, Tommy walked me to my classes."   
  
A sudden snort came from Minho. "You call him Tommy?"   
  
Newt felt his face heat up. "Uh, yeah."   
  
"Hey, I think it's cute!" Thomas piped up.   
  
"It is cute! It caught me off guard, that's all." Minho took a long, loud, and dramatic sip from a juice box. "You guys are already nicknaming, so adorable."   
  
Newt could feel his face getting hotter by the second.   
  
"We need a nickname for you, Newt. I think it should be Newtie."    
  
Thomas laughed. "Newtie?"   
  
If it wasn't already, Newt's face was surely, pure red.   
  
"Oh my god." Teresa groaned. "Leave the kid alone, you guys."   
  
"What? We all have nicknames! Newt needs one too!"   
  
"You don’t have a nickname for Thomas."   
  
"Yes I do!"   
  
"What is it?" Thomas asked.   
  
"It's dumbass."    
  
"Excuse me?"   
  
"I think it fits nicely." Minho said with a shit-eating grin on his face.   
  
"No it doesn't! Teresa? Newt? Someone back me up here, please!"   
  
"Not gonna lie, it kinda does." Teresa said, laughing behind her hand.   
  
"I don't know," Newt added. “I like Tommy more."   
  
"Thank you! I do too!" Thomas exclaimed.   
  
He smiled at Newt, resting his hand on top of Newt's on the table.   
  
"You guys are cute, absolutely adorable."   
  
Thomas smiled. Newt felt his heart going crazy.   
  
  


After lunch, Newt's last classes were a blur.    
  
English was spent sitting next to Thomas and holding hands the entire time.   
  
Neither of them really remembered a word the teacher said.   
  
Physical Education was boring, as predicted. All that was done was recieving the school issued uniforms for the class- which Newt despised even more than the regular uniform.   
  
Classes finally done, Newt and Thomas were back in their room. Newt learned two things about Thomas:   
  
One being that Thomas' music taste was primarily pop- namely the Jonas Brothers and Shawn Mendes- or alternative.   
  
Two being that he liked cuddling.   
  
They sat together on Newt's bed as he worked on the sketch from earlier that morning. Thomas had his arms wrapped around Newt's middle and was curled up to his side. He watched the other boy work. The two shared a pair of earbuds which played from a playlist they made with their favorite songs.

Occasionally Thomas hummed or sang along with the songs, even if he didn't know all the words. He looked up to Newt and smiled happily at him when he stumbled over the lyrics or finished singing. Newt found it adorable.    
  
He was happy.   
  
He usually didn't like it when people watched him draw, but Thomas was an exception. He didn't worry about messing up in front of him or be criticized.   
  
And was almost like they were on a cloud, oblivious to the rest of the world, just the two of them together.

  
Eventually Newt's phone rang and he glanced at it, pulled out the earbud and answered.   
  
"Hey Newt!" His sister's voice came from the other end.   
  
"Hi."    
  
"How you doin' over there in America? What're your classes like?"   
  
"They're alright."   
  
Thomas looked up, confused.    
  
"It's my sister." He whispered, moving the phone away from his face for a second.   
  
"That's good! So what are you up to now?"   
  
"I'm sitting with Tommy, and working on a drawing."   
  
"Who's Tommy?"   
  
"Oh," Newt mentally facepalmed. "Thomas, he's my roommate."   
  
" _ Oh! Turn on your video chat, I wanna meet him! _ "   
  
Newt clicked on the video and held the phone out so Sonya could see both of them.   
  
Sonya's face filled the screen. Her hair was in a messy braid and a smile across her lips.   
  
"Hi!"   
  
Thomas smiled back and waved. "Hi, you must be Sonya."   
  
"That's me! And you must be Tommy?"   
  
"Yeah, my full name's Thomas, Newt likes to call me Tommy."    
  
"Aw, that's cute!"   
  
"I think so too."    
  
"So how are you doing?" Newt said, changing the subject.   
  
"I'm doing good! A new girl started working at the cafe with me, she's nice! I think she said her name was Harriet?"   
  
"Really?"   
  
"Yeah, I can't wait to talk to her more tomorrow!"   
  
"That's cool! If you do, tell her I say hi!"    
  
"Tell her I say hi, too!" Thomas added   
  
"I will!" Sonya checked her watch. "Well, it's almost midnight here, and I have an early shift tomorrow."   
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot about the time differences. Get some rest!"   
  
"I will, you two enjoy the rest of the day! It was great to meet you, Thomas!"   
  
"You too!"   
  
Sonya waved at the camera before ending the call, Newt dropping his phone on the bed.    
  
"She seems nice." Thomas said.   
  
"She is, well, as nice as siblings can be to each other."   
  
He laughed. "I getcha."    
  
Thomas let his head fall back to Newt's side and draped his arm across his waist again.    
  
"What time is it?"    
  
Newt checked his phone. "Ten to seven, why?"   
  
"Just wondering, dinner started a little bit ago."    
  
"Do you want to go?" He asked, reluctantly starting to get up.   
  
Thomas tugged him back. "Not yet."   
  
"Alright." Newt smiled and settled back down. "Let me know when you want to."   
  
The other boy hummed and buried his face in his roommate's shirt.   
  
Newt wrapped his own arms around Thomas and sighed.    
  
"What's up?"   
  
"A little tired."    
  
Thomas shifted and glanced up at Newt, a smile on his features.    
  
"What?"   
  
"Nothing."    
  
Newt smiled back. "Okay."    
  
He let his muscles relax, staring off across the room. The feeling was like what it was the night before during the movie, but it was different. Newt couldn’t exactly pin it down, maybe it was the fact it was just the two of them together. Maybe it was the faster speed of his heartbeat. Regardless, he was almost scared to figure out what it was, or else it might go away.    
  
And he didn’t want that.


	4. chapter four

 

_song: luv note by chloe moriondo_

"I'm bored."

Newt looked up from his homework to Minho. "And?"

"We should do something."

It had been a little over two weeks since school started, and the group of friends found themselves in Newt and Thomas' room. Papers and textbooks were spread across the floor.  
Music was playing from a mini speaker Minho had brought.

Minho and Teresa were sat, leaning against Thomas' bed studying for a test. Newt working on biology homework while leaned back against his own bed. Thomas was reading a book for english with his head resting on Newt's thigh.

"Like what? Movie marathon?" Thomas asked.

"It's too early for that."

"It's seven-forty."

"Yeah, it's too early."

"And it's a weekday." Teresa added.

"Killjoy," Minho pouted. "Let's play truth or dare."

"Alright." Thomas closed his book and let it fall to his chest.

"I could use a break, sure."

Teresa sighed and set down her pencil. "Okay, then let's play."

"I'll go first. Newt, truth or dare?" Minho grinned.

"Truth."

"Where are you from?"

"Southwark, London. I thought I told you that?"

"No, you didn't."

"You told me." Thomas said.

"Okay, you ask someone now, Newt."

"Uh, Teresa, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"What's your favorite food?"

"Chicken parmesan."

"Nice."

She smiled. "Minho, truth or dare."

"Dare."

"I dare you to go in the hallway and yell something."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

"Got it."

Smirking, the asian boy got up and went out to the hall.

A few moments later, a very loud _"fuck me_ " was heard and Minho came back looking very proud of himself.

"How'd I do?"

"I don't know if I regret giving that to you or not."

"Well I did it," He sat back down. "Thomas, t or d."

"Dare."

"Choose one of us to draw on your face."

Thomas sighed and glanced up to Newt. "Can you?"

"Okay." Newt said, laughing. He grabbed a blue highlight from his pencil pouch.

He drew small flowers on his roommate's cheeks, smiling when he was done.

"What'd you do?"

"Flowers."

"Oh you're too nice, Newt. Now he just looks like an e-boy." Minho complained.

Thomas clicked on his phone and opened the front camera to see what Newt did.

"Well, I like them, I think they're cute."

"You should of let me do it."

"I don't trust you."

Minho feigned a look of hurt and over exaggerated a frown. "Oh, why not? I'm sad now, see?"

"Because you'd probably draw something like a dick in sharpie. Plus, I have a presentation in foods tomorrow."

"I was definitely going to do that."

"Exactly."

"Thomas, it's your turn." Teresa interupted, giggling.

"Okay um, Tess, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"If you got to be a dude for an hour, what would you do?"

"I'd probably," She paused. "Honestly, I don't know what I'd do. Maybe arm wrestle Minho, to see if I could win."

"You wouldn't." Minho said.

"How are you sure?"

"Thomas hasn't even beat me."

"Hey! I came close once."

"You came close. But you didn't win."

Newt raised an eyebrow and looked down at Thomas. "Is this a thing you all have got going on?"

"Yes, and it's been a thing since we've known each other."

"Teresa used to beat him every time when we were in elementary. She still can but it's like, a fifty-fifty chance."

"Okay," Teresa was laughing. "Let's keep going. Minho, truth or dare."

"Dare."

"I dare you to eat," she tore a corner off a sheet of lined paper. "This."

He grabbed it and did it.

"You act like I haven't done that before, Resa. Newt, Truth or dare."

"Truth."

"How was your first kiss?"

Newt hesitated. "I uh, haven't."

"What?"

"I haven't kissed anyone." He looked down at his lap.

"Holy shit, we have to get you with a girl." Minho stood up and put his hand on his chest. "I shall get you that kiss if it's the last thing I do!"

Newt smiled. "I appreciate the sentiment, Minho, but um,"

"But what?" He asked, drawing out the 'a'.

"I'm um, not into girls."

The room went quiet for a moment, his mind going into panicked overdrive.

Newt could of sworn he saw Thomas eyes widen for a split second, but he crossed it off as his imagination.

"And? I'll get you a guy then!"

"You aren't upset?"

"Why would we be upset?

"I," Newt chewed on his lip. "I just-"

"Well, we aren't." Teresa said, saving him from finding an explanation.

"If it makes you feel better, I'm bi." Thomas added.

_He's bi!?_

"Me too." Teresa smiled.

"I dunno about me, but yeah, we love you anyway, Newt."

Newt smiled, suddenly feeling choked up. "Thanks, guys."

"No problem." Minho grinned and held open his arms. "C'mon bring it in."

Newt's smile widened and he hugged Minho, Thomas and Teresa coming in too, to make one big group hug.

When they pulled back, they returned to where they were sitting before. Thomas laid back down on his side, with his head still on Newt's thigh.

Newt rested a hand on the boy's arm and gently rubbed circles with his thumb.

"Well, you guys want to keep playing?" Teresa asked.

"Sure."

Later that night, Newt sat awake on his bed.

His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, thinking of his impromptu 'coming out'.

He surely didn't expect such a warm response, and especially with Thomas and Teresa 'coming out' as well? It was all a suprise.

A welcome one, nonetheless.

"Newt?"

Thomas' sleepy voice cracked the silence, almost causing him to jump.

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"I'm," he sighed. "I'm alright."

Newt heard blankets and sheets shifting and moments later he felt his bed dip slightly next to him.

He looked up, able to make out Thomas' face, concern written all over his face.

"Are you sure?"

Newt hesitated, eyes scanning every inch of his roommates face.

The flowers were still drawn on his cheeks, faint but yet still stark against his skin. Thomas had decided that he'd wash them off in the morning, being that he liked them too much.

Thomas had smiled when he said that.

That was the smile that made his stomach jump and preform wild acrobatics.

His eyes were comparable to that of a clear night sky, or maybe fireflies rising above a quiet field on a summer night. Even in the dark of the room, Newt could still see it and that moment, he was falling,

falling,

falling.

_When did you start writing poetry about him?_

He laughed at himself in his head. He bet if his thoughts could be heard, he'd be called a hopeless romantic. Minho would, definitely.

"Newt?"

Thomas hands brushed his sides, shaking Newt out of his sudden poetic trance.

"Oh, uh yeah, sorry. I'm thinking about a lot, y'know?"

"I can see that. You want to talk about it?"

Newt felt vulnerable in that moment.

But not the bad kind.

The kind where you could spill every single detail about your life to someone, and they wouldn't tell a soul, or poke fun at any of it.

_Trust_.

He trusted Thomas.

"I keep thinking about earlier with the, um, coming out thing, I guess?"

"What do you mean? Did we make you uncomfortable? I'm really sorry if we did, and I'm sorry if you felt forced to-"

"No, no, Tommy. That's not it. That actually turned out good and I'm happy that you guys didn't get upset or anything."

"Of course not, Newt." Thomas linked their fingers. "Why would you'd think that, if you don't mind me asking?"

Newt glanced down, the other boy giving his hands a quick squeeze.

"It's um, because when I came out to my mum. She reacted pretty bad and I-"

He stopped, trying to push down the growing lump in his throat.

_Don't cry, don't cry, don't cr-_

"Hey, you don't have to tell me this, okay? If you aren't ready, then you don't have to."

Thomas' voice was quiet but understanding.

_Okay, maybe you can cry._

And Newt did just that.

Thomas pulled him into a hug without saying a word. Newt dropped his head to the other boy's shoulder as he looped his arms around his waist.

Newt let the tears trickle down his cheeks and pushed the whirlwind of emotions out as Thomas held him.  
Thomas' hand drifting across the blond's back in attempt to calm him down.

Needless to say, it was working.

He lost track of time sitting there, and he didn't mind at all.

All that mattered was that he was with Thomas, and Thomas made him feel safe and cared for.

Eventually, he pulled away to wipe at his tear stained cheeks, giving his roommate and halfhearted smile.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize. You okay?"

He nodded. "I'm doing better, yeah. Thanks, Tommy."

"Do you want to try to go to sleep or do you want me to stay here?"

"If you could stay here, I'd really appreciate that."

Thomas smiled and carefully brushed a few strands of hair out of Newt's face. "Alright."

Newt let his head drop back to his shoulder.

"Is it okay if we lay down? Just for a bit, even?" He asked.

"Of course."

Thomas leaned back until he hit the mattress and turned on his side to face Newt.

Newt gazed at the other boy, whose tired smile that graced his features and his equally tired but pretty eyes were enough to make his heart beat.

And soon enough, he found himself falling again.

He woke up before his alarm the next morning.

He rubbed his eyes and stretched before realizing - much to his disappointment- that Thomas had gone back to his own bed.

Newt shook that disappointment away.

Thomas didn't have any obligation to stay all night, so why was he disappointed?

He dragged himself to the bathroom to get changed.

Two new notes were on the mirror (they wrote some to eachother every day over the past two weeks, and were forming a multicolored frame around the mirror). One of them said " _Good morning, Newt! I hope you're feeling better :D <3_" and the other was covered in doodles of flowers and stars.

He smiled and opened a drawer to get a pad of sticky notes Thomas had left. He scrawled his own note saying " _Good morning, Tommy, I'm doing a lot better now, thanks to you :) <3_".

He stuck it next to the note with the drawings and finished getting dressed.

Back in the dorm, Thomas was awake and sat on his bed, playing on his phone.

"Mornin', Tommy"

He glanced up and beamed. "G'morning. You sleep well?"

"Yeah."

"I didn't know how long you wanted me to stay with you after you fell asleep, so I just went back to my own bed."

"That's okay, Tommy. Thanks."

He hummed in response, got up and went into the bathroom.

Newt dropped into his desk chair, throwing out his legs.

His phone rang, and he picked it up.

"Hello, Newton."

"Hi, mum."

"Has school been well?"

"It's been pretty good, yeah."

"How's that roommate of yours?"

"Tommy? He's really nice."

"Tommy?"

_Shit_.

"Thomas."

His mom was silent on the other end for a few moments, and Newt's heart pounded in his chest.

He jumped when a pair of arms snaked around his shoulders, but relaxed, knowing it was just his roommate.

"I see. Well, I called you to see how school was going. Keep up with your assignments, remember, it's your last year."

Newt sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I know, I know. I got it under control."

"Good. Good-bye, Newton."

"Bye."

The line clicked off and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against Thomas' arm.

"Who was that?"

"My mum. She was calling to tell me to keep my grades up, because I'm a senior."

Thomas tightened his arms around Newt's shoulders.

"I'm sure your grades are perfect, Newt. Don't stress out about it."

"Thanks, Tommy."

He turned around in his chair, and smiled up at Thomas. Their noses brushed, and Newt felt his face heat up.

"Hi." Thomas said.

"Hi."

"Has anyone ever told you that you look cute when you blush?"

"No, I don't believe so."

"Well you do." He moved a few strands of hair from Newt's face. "And all the time."

_Is he calling you cute?!_

"Really now?"

"Yeah, really."

Thomas stepped away from the chair and started digging through one of his drawers. He pulled out a navy blue tie, and held it up to his neck.

"D'you think I should wear this for my presentation today, or is it too much?"

"I think it would be nice, yeah."

He grinned. "Alright, then I'll wear it."

He started to tie it, stopped and set it on his desk. "I'll put it on in fifth hour. You want to head down to breakfast?"

"Sure."  
  


There was a few minutes left of fifth hour, and Newt was watching with an amused expression as Thomas tried to tie his tie.

"Can you hold up your camera so I can use it like a mirror?" He rubbed his temples. "This is a pain to do without a mirror."

"I can see that." Newt bit back a laugh and held up his phone camera as asked.

"Don't laugh at me! This is an actual problem!"

Newt only laughed harder at Thomas' over exaggerated pout. "Sorry."

"I guess I can forgive you." He grinned and finished tying it. "How do I look?"

"You look good, it's a little," Newt reached forward and adjusted the tie so it was a little less tight. "There."

He looked back up to Thomas and- _was he blushing_?

"Thanks." He turned his gaze away.

_He's totally blushing_.

"No problem, Tommy."

The bell rang and Newt got out of his chair.

"Good luck on your presentation, you're gonna do great."

Thomas smiled. "Well now I know I will."

"Why's that?" Newt slipped his hands into the other boy's.

"Because you said so."

"I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not."

"I'm serious!"

Newt laughed again and hugged him. "Alright, Tommy."

Thomas hugged back before letting go. "You'd better get going, the gym's on the other side of the school."

"I'll see you after class, yeah?"

"Yeah, see you then!"  
  


Newt stepped out of the shower and pulled on a pair of sweatpants and the NASA shirt before rubbing at his hair, trying to get as much water out as possible.

He walked out of the bathroom, to see Thomas sitting at the desk and fiddling with his camera. He occasionally lifted it up, snapped a photo, frowned and then continued to hit buttons.

Newt sat down at his side of the desk and pulled his legs up onto the chair. "What're you doing?"

"Trying to get the right lighting."

He pressed a few more buttons before aiming the camera at Newt, who covered his face with his hands.

"Aw come on, just one picture?"

He peeked through his fingers. Thomas had what could only be described as puppy eyes and he sighed.

"Fine."

Thomas grinned and repositioned the camera, Newt beaming a small smile. The shutter went off and Thomas showed the picture to Newt.

"I look awful, Tommy!"

"No you don't! You look adorable!"

The picture showed his hair which was an absolute mess, his eyes tired and squinted shut a little from the smile.

Despite that, the color contrasts and shadows were perfect and the picture gave off a soft and sweet vibe.

"No way."

"Yes way!"

He stared at Thomas for a few moments before sighing. "Okay, you win."

"Would you be happier if I took one with you?"

"If you want to."

Thomas nodded and grabbed a few textbooks to boost up the camera, hit a few buttons and walked behind Newt's chair. He wrapped his arms around him and smiled, Newt smiling as well.

The shutter went off again, Thomas picked it up and showed it to Newt.

He definitely didn't look any better than the first picture, but he liked this one a lot more. The smiles seemed more genuine and of course, Thomas was in it, so it was better. 

"I like that one."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"I do too."

He went back to his chair and picked up his phone. "I'll put it on my phone and I'll send it to you?"

"Okay."

He grinned and went back to his phone.

A minute or so later,  the door opened, and Minho stood there with a mischievous smirk. Teresa stood next to him with an expression that was much less enthused. They were both wearing dark clothing

"Let's sneak out."


	5. chapter five

  
"Let's sneak out."   
  
Newt gave Minho a look of disbelief. "I'm sorry, what?"   
  
"Let's sneak out!"   
  
He glanced at Thomas, who was also grinning.   
  
"Alright."    
  
Newt gave Thomas the same look. "Are you serious?"   
  
"Yeah! We've done this since freshman year. A couple other kids do it too, and it's fun!"   
  
"You haven't got caught?"   
  
"Nah, we're smart about it."    
  
"Come on, Newt! You'll have fun!" Minho encouraged.   
  
He looked down at his hands, picking at his nails.   
  
"I get if you don't want to. I'll stay back with you, if you want." Thomas said, sympathy in his eyes.   
  


_ If only you knew what you do to me, Tommy. _   
  
"I'll go."   
  
Minho pumped his fist in the air. "Hell yeah!"    
  
Thomas stood up and smiled at Newt. He walked over and crouched on his bed before opening the window.   
  
"What are you doing?"    
  
"We get out through the windows, too much risk any other way."   
  
He pushed himself out and his hand reached over the edge and waved for the others.   
  
Minho went next, then Teresa and finally Newt knelt on the bed, peering wearily down at the other three. The window wasn't too far above the ground, that wasn't why he was hesitating, no. All of it seemed wrong.    
  
"Don't worry, I'll catch you!" Thomas grinned.    
  
_ How bad could it be? A little rebellion is healthy, right? _   
  
He pushed himself through the frame before a second thought. He landed on his feet and Thomas threw his arms around him.    
  
"See, I told you I'd catch you."    
  
Newt smiled and wrapped his arms around Thomas. "You sure did."    
  
“You guys are cute." Minho said. He pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of them. "Let's get going."   
  
After a few minutes of walking, they got to a small area, surrounded by trees. If not for the music playing and other people dancing around and talking, it would definitely be creepy with the shadows shifting and wind creaking through the woods.   
  
The smell of cigarettes and weed was heavy in the air, but surprisingly, not obnoxious and quite tolerable.   
  
Minho split off to a group of guys to the right, Teresa following close behind.   
  
"So, what do we do?" Newt asked.    
  
"Do you want to dance?"   
  
"I'm not great at dancing."    
  
"Either am I," Thomas moved in front of him and bowed, extending out his hand. "May I?"   
  
Newt giggled and took his hand. "Yes, you may."   
  
Thomas grinned and pulled him towards where a small speaker sat in the grass and other kids were dancing. An upbeat pop song was playing.   
  
Thomas took both of Newt's hands and swayed back and forth, bouncing with the beat.    
  
He did the same, albeit awkwardly, not really knowing what to do.    
  
He was nervous.   
  
Really nervous.   
  
He had never snuck out before, let alone to the woods with his crush and friends. His mind was obsessed with the what ifs of getting caught. What would Sonya say? What would the school say? What would his mom say? More importantly, what would his mom do?   
  
_ Sonya would tell you to relax and not give a shit about what mom says. She can't control you and your decisions. _   
  
"Hey, you alright?" Thomas' voice almost sounded far away under his worrying.    
  
"Yeah, I'm good. I've never snuck out before."   
  
"We can go back if you want."    
  
"I don't wanna ruin this for you."    
  
"Trust me, Newt, you could never ruin anything. And plus, I've done this hundreds of times, I won't be upset."   
  
"I want to stay here."   
  
"Okay."    
  
Thomas smiled and spun him around, Newt laughing.    
  
_ Just relax. _   
  
And so he did.   
  
He bounced along with Thomas, grinning. The next song that came on, Newt recognized from Thomas' favorites. He gasped and grabbed Newt's hands.   
  
"This is my favorite song!"   
  
They spun and swayed, danced like there was nothing else happening and 

nobody else watching.

  
Because in reality, the only person watching was each other.  
  
And that's all that mattered.  
  
The song came to an end, and Thomas threw out his arms collapsed onto Newt, both out of breath but so very, very happy.  
  
That's when Thomas surged forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek.   
  
And Newt was sure everything, including his heart, stopped.  
  
 _Holy shit._  
  
Time seemed to come back slowly, but creeping faster and faster as he realized Thomas began to pull back with a worried written in his eyes.   
  
So Newt moved, fighting against what seemed like time turned to honey, and kissed his cheek back.  
  
Thomas grinned and time reverted back to speed. He embraced Newt, who did the same.  
  
"That was fine for me to do, right?" He asked.  
  
"I wouldn't have done it back if not, Tommy."   
  
"I just want to make sure I don't cross any boundaries."   
  
"You didn't, but I really appreciate that."  
  
Thomas pulled back, and kissed his roommates forehead- just a peck- and slipped his hands back into Newt's.  
  
"I'm glad."  
  
  
  
  
"No, I think that one's the big dipper."   
  
"Tommy, that's the little one. The big one's over there."  
  
The pair laid in the grass, staring up at the sea of stars and tried to guess and point out constellations.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive."  
  
Thomas rolled over on his side and beamed softly at Newt.   
  
If Newt was falling for him under the glow of plastic stars in a dorm room, seeing him under the glow of real stars and the moon with a gentle breeze coasting over the grass and tousling his hair;  
  
Well, let's just say he was falling even harder than he had thought he ever would for anybody.  
  
And he was perfectly okay with that.  
  
Thomas pulled out his phone and held it above them with the front camera open.   
  
"Smile!"   
  
Newt smiled and moved his head closer to his roommate's.  
  
When the picture snapped, he brushed his lips to Thomas' cheek again. He heard the camera go off again and glanced back to the phone.  
  
The pictures were a little grainy from the dark, but enough light from the moon covered their sleepy and happy faces to keep it from being too bad.  
  
"I love those, Tommy."  
  
"Better than earlier?"  
  
"Better than earlier."   
  
"Good, I think so too."  
  
He set the device next to him and rolled back over to face Newt, hand brushing his jawline.   
  
Newt found his face warming at the touch and he moved his hand to rest on his waist.  
  
"You look pretty tonight, Newt." He whispered.  
  
"So do you, Tommy."  
  
"Not as much as you."   
  
Newt hummed as his heart swelled in his chest.   
  
Nobody had ever called him pretty before, and Thomas being the first? He wouldn't trade that for anything.  
  
"I doubt that."   
  
"Well, it's true."   
  
Thomas smiled and kissed his forehead, before settling back down and his hand moved to the back of his neck.  
  
Their faces were so close, their noses brushed.   
  
So close.   
  
If Newt was a little more ballsy, maybe, just maybe, he'd lean in and-  
  
 _You've known him for about two weeks and you're already wanting to kiss him? He probably doesn't even like you in that way._   
  
He sighed.  
  
 _You guys hold hands, and cuddle and kiss cheeks for god's sake! Of course he has to like you at least a little bit!_  
  
"What's up?"  
  


_ What if he's only one for being super affectionate? _   
  
"Nothing."   
  
"You wanna head back? It's," Thomas checked the time. "It's past one."   
  
"I guess so. We should probably go find Minho and Teresa, too."   
  
"Yeah."   
  
The pair got to their feet and set off looking for their friends.   
  
They found them not too long after, Teresa trying to drag a drunk Minho back towards the school. Thomas put his arm around his shoulders to help carry him.    
  
When they made it back to the school, Thomas climbed through the window first, Teresa and Newt helping Minho get through from the ground. They followed soon after.   
  
"Well, I'll get him back to his room, you two get some sleep okay?" Teresa said. Minho's arm was slung around her shoulders and the boy was half asleep.   
  
"You too." Thomas nodded.   
  
"I will."   
  
"G'night, Teresa."   
  
Teresa smiled and carried Minho out into the hall. The asian boy mumbled something about not doing anything stupid to Newt as he closed the door behind them.   
  
He turned back and leaned on the door. Thomas was lying on his bed and looking at him, arm tucked under his head.   
  
"C'mere, Newt." He patted the mattress next to him, and Newt did, perched on the edge.   
  
"No, like," he tugged on his arm and Newt hesitantly laid down. Thomas smiled and draped his free arm across his waist.    
  
"You could have asked me to lay with you." Newt brushed strands of hair from his roommates face. "I would've."   
  
"I was worried it would sound weird."    
  
He laughed softly. "I guess it'd sound a little weird, but I still would've."   
  
"Yeah?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"I'll have to keep that in mind."    
  
Thomas planted a kiss on his forehead before burying his face in Newt's shoulder. Newt snaked his arms around him.   
  
"We forgot to turn off the light."   
  
"I'll go turn it off."    
  
Thomas shook his head. "I don't want you to go."    
  
"I'll be right back, Tommy."   
  
"Fine."    
  
He let go and Newt rolled off the bed, shut off the lights and crawled back into bed. He embraced his roommate again.    
  
Newt kissed the top of his head and sighed, his hair tickling his chin.   
  
"Goodnight, Tommy."   
  
"Night." The other boy said, voice muffled by Newt's shoulder.

  
  


  
  
The next morning, Newt awoke in Thomas' bed, but no Thomas.    
  
He sat up and rubbed his eyes. The little alarm clock that was on his nightstand read 7:57.   
  
Panic set in as he realized it was past starting time and he started to scramble out of bed when the bathroom door opened.   
  
Thomas stood there- shirt off and holding it in his hand, Newt may add- and he squinted, trying to adjust to the light difference.   
  
"Hey."   
  
"Hi," He said, trying his best to ignore the fact that he didn't have a shirt on. "We're late."   
  
"There's some conference shit going on today, no classes, remember?"   
  
Newt racked his brain and groaned when he remembered that there was, in fact, some conference shit today- as Thomas so eloquently put it.   
  
"I did the same thing earlier, don't worry." He frowned. "Did I wake you up?"   
  
"No."   
  
He hummed, pulled on the shirt in his hands before going over and laying down on the bed. His head landed on Newt's lap and he smiled up at the blond.   
  
"Did you have fun last night?"   
  
"Yeah, actually, I did." Newt's hands carded through Thomas' hair. "Of course it was even better, because you were there."   
  
"I could say the same about you, that was one of the best outings I've had."   
  
"Really?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"You're telling me, that in the past three years you've been sneaking out, that was one of the best?"   
  
"Definitely."   
  
Newt smiled and planted a small kiss on his forehead. "I don't know what to say to that, Tommy."   
  
"You don't have to say anything."   
  
Thomas yawned and rubbed his eyes. "You wanna try to get a little more sleep?"   
  
He nodded and rolled off Newt's lap, Newt laying down. He wrapped his arms around Thomas, Thomas doing the same.   
  
"Newt?"   
  
"Yeah?"   
  
He lifted a hand and cupped his cheek. He smiled.   
  
"What?"    
  
"I know I said it last night, but you're pretty."   
  
"I'm not gonna argue with you on that this time."   
  
"Because you know I'm right."   
  
"Because we're just gonna keep going back and forth about it."   
  
"And because I'm right."   
  
"Maybe."    
  
Thomas laughed softly and kissed his cheek. "I win."   
  
"Just this time."    
  
"You keep telling yourself that."    
  
Newt pulled him closer to his chest. "Maybe I will. Let's get some sleep, yeah?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
  
  
  
When they woke up again, there was a loud pounding coming from the door.    
  
Thomas buried his face in the crook of Newt's neck. He mumbled a raspy "go away" despite knowing that whoever was at the door wouldn't hear it.   
  
"Thomas! Newt! I know you two are in there! Open up!" A guys voice- Newt identified it as Minho's- came from the other side of the door.   
  
Thomas groaned and untangled himself from Newt, dragging himself across the room to open the door.    
  
Minho stood there, wearing a hoodie with the hood up and cinched.    
  
"What's up, Min?"   
  
"I'm so fucking hungover, man."    
  
"How much did you drink last night?"   
  
"I- a lot, okay? I don't want my roommate to get mad or report me so I'm coming over here."    
  
"Okay, come on in."   
  
"Thanks, dude." He crossed the room and fell face first onto Thomas' bed.   
  
"Hey, Minho." Newt said, crossing his legs under him.   
  
He lifted and arm and waved.   
  
Thomas sat down on the bed too, snaking his arms around Newt from behind.    
  
"Don't start doing some PDA shit, I'm right here." Minho grumbled, cinching his hood tighter.    
  
"Too late." Thomas replied, kissed Newt's temple and rested his chin on his shoulder.   
  
Minho gagged and rolled onto his back. "Gross."    
  
Newt laughed and sank further into Thomas' arms, intertwining his fingers with his. Minho peeked at them out of the corner of his eye and smiled.   
  
"Okay, maybe it's cute."    
  
"Not as cute as Newt."    
  
"Not as cute as Tommy."   
  
"I take back what I said. Besides, we all know I'm the cutest."   
  
"Sure." 

 

  
  
Later that day, Minho ended up asleep in Newt's bed while Thomas and Newt laid together watching a movie on Thomas' laptop.  Thomas slouched against the wall and Newt curled into his side with his head on his chest. Thomas' arm was wrapped around him and his fingers drifted across his back in languid circles.  They were under the blankets and shared earbuds to keep from waking up Minho.   
  
They had texted Teresa to come join, but she declined, saying that she was hanging out with her roommate and she was definitely not dealing with hungover Minho this time.    
  
"Tommy?"    
  
He hummed in response, pausing the movie.   
  
Newt glanced up to his roommate and smiled.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Nothing. I forgot what I was going to say."   
  
Thomas smiled back and planted a small kiss on his forehead. "Okay."    
  
He unpaused the movie and Newt settled back into his arms, the smile still on his lips.


	6. chapter six

  
  
_ song: love is (not) easy by chase atlantic _   
  
Newt and Thomas stood outside the cafeteria, out of the flow of lunchtime traffic with their hands clasped together.    
  
"I wish I could stay for lunch, but I have to go do some test correction shit." Thomas mumbled, looking at his feet.   
  
"It's okay, Tommy, I understand and I'm sure the others will too."   
  
"Are you sure? I can reschedule them or something."   
  
"I'm sure. Get them done now so you don't have to worry about them."   
  
He sighed and Newt snaked his arms around him.    
  
"You're gonna do fine, no, you're gonna do great. I believe in you."   
  
Thomas pulled away for a second to press a kiss on Newt's cheek.    
  
"Thanks, Newt. I'll make it up to you, I promise!"    
  
"Don't worry about it." Newt smiled and stepped back   
  
They waved to each other before Newt walked into the cafeteria, finding that he already was missing Thomas.   
  
When he got to the table, Minho was there with a serious expression written all over his face and Teresa looked quite exasperated.   
  
"What's up?" He dropped his tray on the table and took a seat.   
  
"We're here to talk buisness, Newt." Minho replied.    
  
"What do you mean? You're kinda freaking me out, did I do something wrong?"   
  
"No, Minho just likes being dramatic." Teresa said.   
  
"I am not being dramatic. Anyway, as I was saying business."   
  
He paused, Newt raised an eyebrow and Teresa covered her face with her hands.   
  
"You have a crush on Thomas."   
  
"Excuse me?"   
  
"You, Newton Isaac Jones, have a big fat crush, on Thomas Edison Greene."   
  
Newt blinked. "No I don't."   
  
"Don't lie to me, I know you do. "   
  
He sighed. "Ok, maybe I do."    
  
"Not maybe."   
  
"Fine, I do! Happy?"   
  
Minho smirked. "Yes."   
  
"Is it that obvious?"   
  
"Yeah, it really is."   
  
Newt groaned and buried his face in his hands.    
  
"Don't worry, Thomas is oblivious as all hell."   
  
"Is he?"   
  
"You could literally write 'I have a crush on you' in rainbow letters on your forehead and kiss him and he'd still not realize it."    
  
Newt's face reddened at the thought of kissing Thomas.   
  
"He doesn't like me that way."    
  
"Dude, he's totally whipped for you too. Whipped, with a capital 'w' and in bold, italicized print."   
  
"No he's not."   
  
"Oh my god," Minho almost yelled. "You guys literally slept together!"   
  
A table of girls nearby gave them a look and Newt mouthed the word sorry.   
  
"Minho," he hesitated. "That doesn't mean anything, I've slept in the same bed with friends before."   
  
"Fair point, but you guys literally are wrapped up all night, you lay all over each other all the time, hold hands, walk each other to class and kiss cheeks! He never does that with anyone else!"   
  
"He doesn't?"    
  
"No! Have you seen him to that with me or Teresa?"    
  
Newt chewed on his lip. "I don't know, Min-"    
  
Minho let his head hit the table and let out a huge groan. "I can not believe you. You're more oblivious than him."    
  
"Anyway, Thomas definitely likes you more than a friend, Newt." Teresa said, setting a hand on his shoulder. "I get that it might be hard to believe, but he does."   
  
"I just feel like it's all too good to be true, you know?"   
  
"Yeah, but trust me, okay?"   
  
He smiled and nodded. Minho picked his head up.   
  
"I bet he's gonna ask you out first."    
  
"We'll see about that."    
  
"I think Newt is gonna ask him out first." Teresa added, taking a sip of water.   
  
"Oh, siding with him, are you?" Minho scoffed.   
  
"You know it."   
  
"Well, if you're gonna be like that, how's it going with you and Brenda?"   
  
She choked on her water.   
  
"Oh? The Brenda you talk about in the group chat?" Newt rested his chin on his hand.   
  
"Yes, that Brenda." She gave Minho a death glare. "It's going fine."   
  
"You like her." Minho said, drawing out the 'i'.   
  
"And if I do?"   
  
"That means I've got my best friends in love and it's adorable. Ah, young love."    
  
"We're the same age, idiot."    
  
"I fail to see your point."   
  
"Whatever."   
  
They finished eating lunch— a lot of playful arguing added in— and walked out of the cafeteria together.   
  
Newt felt a sudden weight against his back and a pair of arms wrapped around his shoulders.    
  
"Hey."   
  
He craned his neck to see Thomas, smiling his brilliant smile.    
  
"Hey, Tommy. How'd your test stuff go?"   
  
Thomas pressed a kiss to his temple. "They went great."   
  
"See? I knew you could do it."   
  
Minho shot him a 'I-told-you-so' look before playfully hitting Thomas.   
  
"Where were you man? We talked all about you."   
  
"I bet you did." Thomas rolled his eyes. "I was doing test corrections."   
  
"Oh so that's more important than us? I see how it is." He pretended to shed a tear.   
  
"Yeah, totally." 

-

  
"Tommy, where are we going?"    
  
The two sat in the back of a taxi. They were headed into the city after Thomas said he had a surprise for him and they snuck out, much like the other night.   
  
"It's a surprise."   
  
He sighed and slouched in the seat as Thomas gave his hand a quick squeeze.   
  
He watched the glimmering lights over the bustling streets roll by his window until they came to a stop in front of a restaurant.   
  
Thomas paid the driver and led Newt into the building.    
  
Inside, the atmosphere was warm and lively conversation was loud but not too overbearing.    
  
A woman in black uniform greeted them at the front counter.    
  
"Hello boys, do you have a reservation?"   
  
"Thomas Greene, for two."    
  
She scanned a sheet a paper before crossing off something and smiled.    
  
"Alright, right this way."   
  
Thomas turned to Newt and grinned, pulling him along.    
  
The woman led them through the restaurant, Newt admiring the place the whole way.    
  
She pushed open a set of doors that opened onto a balcony that overlooked a small pond, surrounded by vibrant greenery. Bistro lights were strung above the balcony and small jars with candles were on each table.    
  
She sat them down at a table next to the railing and handed them menus.   
  
"A waiter will be right with you boys." The woman said before going back inside.   
  
Newt gazed over the pond, amazed before turning back to Thomas, who had his chin on his hand and was beaming at him.   
  
"Well?"    
  
"Tommy, this is beautiful," He bit his lip. "But why did you bring me here?"    
  
"I said I'd make it up to you, didn't I? Plus, I thought you would like it."   
  
Newt smiled and set his hand on top of his. "I love it."    
  
A waiter came to their table with a basket of dinner rolls and they placed drink orders.    
  
"What do you recommend from here?" Newt asked, thumbing through the menu.   
  
"Well, I usually get a burger or something, but everything is pretty good here, kinda just depends on what you like."   
  
He hummed and decided on a pasta dish before setting the menu aside.    
  
"How'd you find out about this place?"    
  
"My parents come here a lot, and they'd bring me and Chuck sometimes too."   
  
He nodded and Thomas grinned.   
  
"You do like it, right?"   
  
"Yeah, I said I love it. It's amazing here."   
  
"I was worried you wouldn't."    
  
"Of course not, Tommy." He rubbed the back of his hand with his thumb. "I love it even more because you're here."   
  
Thomas' cheeks got pink and his eyes sparkled. "You're amazing, Newt."   
  
"I'm not, Tommy."   
  
"Yes you are! You're sweet and funny and adorable and cute and—"   
  
He stopped and his cheeks got redder.   
  
"You really think that?"   
  
"Yeah, I do."   
  
Newt was speechless. Nobody had ever said anything like that to him before and while it made him somewhat nervous, he felt warm and fuzzy, and his heart hurt, but in a good way.    
  
He felt loved.   
  
Maybe Minho and Teresa were right?   
  
"Tommy, I... I don't know what to say."    
  
"You don't have to say anything."   
  
"But I do. You, you're so supportive and sweet to me and a lot of times I don't know how to handle it but you're so good to me anyway and," He took a deep breath. "God, you're just the best, Tommy."    
  
Newt smiled at him, and in a blink of an eye, Thomas was out of his chair and hugging him.    
  
Newt buried his face in his shirt and feeling tears prick at his eyes, he let them fall.   
  
Neither said anything, but that was okay.    
  
Nothing needed to be said.   
  
Eventually they pulled away and Thomas went back to his seat, fingers intertwined on the table and knees brushing underneath.    
  
Their food came and they ate, talking and laughing between bites.   
  
Newt felt himself falling again.     
  
And he welcomed it.   
  
After they finished, Newt argued with Thomas over paying after seeing the total but reluctantly gave up when he realized he wasn't going to change his mind.    
  
They stood up and Thomas pulled Newt over to the railing.   
  
"Picture?"   
  
"I was starting to think you wouldn't ask."   
  
"I always do."    
  
Thomas draped his arm around his waist and Newt rested his head on his shoulder.    
  
The shutter clicked and Thomas pressed his lips to his cheek before snapping a second.   
  
They left the restaurant hand-in-hand and strolled down the sidewalks.   
  
Street lamps and string lights that hung from the buildings lit the streets along with the yellow and red glow from the cars.    
  
"I hate to cut things short, but we should start heading back, before someone notices we're gone." Thomas said, frowning.    
  
"It's okay, Tommy. We can do something back in the dorm."   
  
"I just feel bad because there's so much I want to show you."   
  
"We can, just at another time. Another date, yeah?"    
  
Thomas' frown morphed into his signature smile. "Yeah, I'd like that."   
  
They walked a little further before Thomas hailed a taxi and they got in.   
  
They laid in Thomas' bed, wrapped in each other's arms. Thomas wore Newt's yellow hoodie, the same one he wore when they went out for icecream.   
  
Newt found it adorable.    
  
"Hey, Newt?"    
  
"Yeah?"    
  
"I've been wanting to ask this for a while, but um... I noticed you have a limp and I was a little worried?"   
  
Newt froze.    
  
If he was going to be honest, his limp had pretty much escaped his mind. It never came up in conversation and it hadn't really been bothering him either.    
  
Memories, very much unwelcome ones, began to encroach on the corners of his mind and he tried to push them away.   
  
He didn’t want to put that on Thomas.   
  
"I uh," he cleared his throat. "I don't really want to talk about it.”   
  
"Oh my god, I'm sorry I didn't mean—"   
  
"It's fine, Tommy, you didn't know."    
  
"That doesn't make it okay."   
  
"Really, it's fine. People ask and my mom brings it up a lot."    
  
He sat up and frowned. "That's not okay, Newt."    
  
Newt pulled him down to his chest and ran his fingers through his hair. "It's alright, Tommy."    
  
He went silent for a few minutes, tracing patterns on Newt's shirt.   
  
"Newt?"   
  
He hummed in response.    
  
"What was London like?"   
  
"Well, it's alright. Rainy, kinda cold—"   
  
"No, I meant like, what was it like to you?"    
  
"I mean," He sighed. "It's home, I guess? That sounds kinda silly, like I live here now but, it's kinda hard to move on from the place you grew up, y'know?"   
  
"It's not silly."    
  
"I guess not. Sometimes I wish I could go back, but again, I'm here now."   
  
Thomas moved up to face him.    
  
"Sorry."   
  
"Don't be, Newt. I get it, well I mean, I haven't moved countries before but it's okay to miss it, that's normal."   
  
He kissed his forehead.   
  
"Can I tell you about some of my favorite places?"   
  
"Of course."   
  
"Well, there's this little diner, it's named Al's, after the guy who owns it. Me and Sonya would go there all the time. Almost every weekend."   
  
Thomas smiled, hand brushing over his jawline.   
  
"And then the beach, we didn't live super close so it was a bit of a drive, but I loved going there. There was a little park with a play structure and swings. I got stuck in one of the baby swings once, on a dare."   
  
"That must've been a sight."    
  
"Yeah, had to get Sonya to pull me out and everything." He laughed at the memory. "There was also this wood swing hanging from one of the trees, and I'd always sit there and draw for hours. I didn't tell a lot of people about it, because I liked to go there and clear my head."   
  
"It sounds amazing, Newt."    
  
"Yeah." He trailed off. "I wish I could show you."   
  
"Maybe someday we can go back? And you can show me everything?"   
  
"I'd love that."   
  
“We’ll go someday.”   
  
“Together?”   
  
“Together. I promise.”   
  
Newt slipped his arms around him in a tight embrace. “Thank you, Tommy.”   
  
-  
  
Newt sat on the edge of the bed, staring out into the fuzzy darkness of their room.   
  
He couldn’t sleep again, no, he was too busy thinking of everything that happened.    
  
From telling Minho and Teresa he liked Thomas, to them telling his that Thomas liked him. From Thomas telling him about how amazing he was, to Newt telling Thomas about what he meant to him. From Thomas asking about his limp to promising that they’d go back to London together.   
  
Together.   
  
Did he mean as friends? As a couple? As just two kids going on an adventure together?   
  
Whatever it was, Newt was sure he was overthinking it.   
  
He looked over Thomas, his chest slowly rising and falling. He was still wearing Newt’s hoodie, and he had the sleeves pulled over his hands and his chin tucked into the neckline. The sight made his heart swell and he just wanted to wrap him in a hug.   
  
And maybe kiss him.   
  
“You know, Tommy, I think I might love you.” Newt whispered. “It sounds crazy, I know. You’re messing with my head.”   
  
  
The next morning when he woke up, there was a new note on the mirror that read:   
  
_ love you <3 _ _   
  
_


	7. chapter seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> warning: this chapter contains graphic descriptions of drug effects/trips if you wish to skip over this part, it will be marked at the beginning and end with ¤¤¤. there will be mild explanation of what happened from an outsider perspective after said markers.

_song: the A team by ed sheeran_

Weeks went by, most Friday nights they would sneak out, Newt becoming more and more comfortable with it. The fear of being caught was almost nonexistent at that point.

Him and Thomas had spent every night, lying in each other's arms, talking about everything and nothing as they fell asleep together. They had grown so close, and were almost inseparable, and of course Minho and Teresa brought it up almost every day. Minho took to playful teasing and Teresa resorting to knowing smiles and encouraging Newt to make a move.

They sat in Newt and Thomas' room, Minho sprawled on Thomas' bed, Teresa sitting with her back against it and Newt laying on Thomas in a pile of blankets. A typical night for them, homework sitting nearby but being ignored as they talk and laugh. 

Minho cleared his throat. "Dudes, it's Halloween."

"We're aware." Teresa said.

"Yeah, so we gotta sneak out."

"Min, we've got classes tomorrow." Thomas frowned.

"Who cares, there's gonna be so many people out there, it's gonna be a party! You remember last year, right?"

"Yeah, I got drunk and had the worst hangover and I thought I was going to die."

Minho pouted. "It wasn't that bad, you just have a low tolerance."

"Whatever."

"We should go, and plus, Newt's never been out to one that's a big party like this."

Newt looked up at Minho before looking to Thomas. "I don't know."

"It's fun, but I'm a little weary when we have classes tomorrow."

"Just skip man." 

Newt chewed on his lip. 

"Don't feel pressured to go if you don't want to, Newt." Teresa said. 

"Let's go, I can stand to lose some sleep."

"Hell yeah!" Minho pumped a fist in the air before opening the window.

They climbed out and made their way to the woods that they could all travel with their eyes closed. 

Newt could tell that this time would be different, as there was so many more people than usual and music pounding louder. 

He felt Thomas intertwine their fingers and he turned to face him. 

Thomas opened his mouth to say something, but got interrupted by Minho grabbing his arm and dragging them towards a group of people. 

"Come on guys, we gotta have fun and let loose!" He yelled, or, at least thats what Newt thought he said, the music was loud enough to drown out his voice.

They joined the group, Newt sticking close to Thomas' side.

The raunchy smell of weed and cigarettes was borderline overbearing, and many people in the group had a bottle of some alcohol in their hand. 

Needless to say, Newt felt rather uncomfortable, as most nights out were just him and Thomas dancing around for a bit, maybe drinking a little, and laying in the grass until they were ready to go back. 

"You okay?"

He jumped slightly as Thomas spoke, leaning in closer so they could hear each other.

"Yeah, just a bit different than usual."

Thomas nodded and pulled him closer. "I get that, just stick with me, okay? If you want to go back at any time, let me know."

"Alright, Tommy." Newt said, pressing a kiss to his cheek. 

Unfortunately, that plan didn't work very well.

After a while of snaking through the mass of people dancing, drinking and laughing, Newt had managed to lose Thomas in the crowd. Feeling a slight ball of anxiety gnaw in his stomach, he made his way to the outer edges of the group and leaned against a tree. He rubbed his eyes, scanning his surroundings for him with no luck. 

A guy he didn't recognize broke from the crowd and walked up to Newt. He was holding one of those cheesy plastic pumpkin baskets and had a grin on his face.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"You want some candy?"

"What?" Newt replied, slightly taken aback by the question. 

The guy shook the pumpkin basket. "Do you want some candy? It's Halloween, man!"

"I guess so." 

He reached in and grabbed a jolly rancher and thanked the guy as he walked off, continuing to search for Thomas. He popped the candy in his mouth and winced at the bitter taste, cursing himself for not paying attention to what flavor it was.

He lost track of how long it took for him to find Thomas, and his hands shook slightly from the mild panic of not recognizing a single face in the crowd. His head hurt from the music, and the air felt warmer due to everybody being in the same place. 

He found his roommate standing with his arms crossed and talking with someone who was obviously drunk, and he made his way past a few smaller groups to his side. 

"Hey, Tommy."

Thomas glanced over and relieved expression crossed his features as he threw his arms around him. "There you are! I was getting worried you went back alone."

"I was starting to think that too, but glad to see you didn't."

"I wouldn't leave unless I was sure you weren't still here." he took his hands.

Newt smiled. "Let's try not to get separated again, yeah?"

"Yeah."

Newt made sure to not let go of Thomas' hand as they bounced around the party, playing various little games with people they didn't know, many of which was way too drunk to do anything coherent. 

The uncomfortable feeling never left, hanging over his head as his headache and anxiety worsened. At some points, his chest felt tight and like he couldn't breathe, but he tried to ignore it. 

When they moved to a clearer area, Thomas looked at him and frowned.

"You look pale, Newt."

"Well, yeah, I'm pale."

"No I mean," he brushed the back of his hand against Newt's forehead. "You look pale as in a sick pale, not your normal pale. You feeling okay?"

"Not really."

"Let's go back then."

"I'll go back on my own, you stay and have fun here. I'll be fine, Tommy."

"I was about to ask if you wanted to leave anyway, plus, I care more about you than whatever happens here."

Newt sighed. "Alright, let's go."

On the walk back, Newt found that his headache had gotten even worse, his limbs felt a bit heavy and he realized how tired he actually was. 

When they got back to the school, Thomas boosted him up through the window, following close behind. 

Thomas smiled at him and rolled off the bed, grabbing his pyjamas— which Newt's yellow hoodie had quickly become a part of, and Newt was perfectly content, knowing he probably wasn't getting that back.

Newt moved to get up but his vision went fuzzy and he lost balance, collapsing on the floor. 

¤¤¤

His whole body suddenly felt like it was on fire and he couldn't breathe. His limbs felt like lead, the world spun and distorted around him, and he couldn't tell what was real.

"Newt? Newt, are you okay?!" A panicked voice— Thomas' voice— echoed in his mind and he reached out, not knowing where Thomas was.

Everything seemed to go to shit in a matter of seconds, and his mind whirled trying to find answers as to why.

He felt someone grab hold of him but the touch was distant, as if it wasn't on his own body.

"Newt? What's wrong? Do I need to get a nurse or someone!?"

"No.. no nurses, please, please, plea-" he gasped for air as his lungs felt as if they were being squeezed, tears streaming down his face. "I don't know what's happ... happening."

Thomas' face was blurry, he couldn't make out any detail as colors swirled in his vision and his head flooded with memories that he'd rather forget. His head pounded with sharp pains and he tried to grab hold of something, anything to ground himself.

"Please, please not again, not a..again." 

"Newt?? What do you mean again? What's going on?"

"I can't... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's my fault he's gone I.."

"Newt who are you talking about? Nobody's gone, nothing's not your fault."

"It is, it is, it's my fault he's gone, that's what she told me, it's always my fa-"

He coughed roughly and screwed his eyes shut, trying to block out the visual sensory overload. 

"You aren't making sense, please, Newt, I'm scared. What's going on?"

"I don't... I don't know..."

"Do you know where you are?"

He shook his head, his whole body shaking. 

To be honest, he could barely recognize that the person holding him and talking to him was Thomas, let alone knowing where he was.

"Can you tell me what's happening to you?"

"I think.... think I'm hallucinating, I can't breathe, there's something choking me, I can't breathe and it's so hot, it's... I'm dying, I'm dy...ing, my head hurts so bad, I can't move."

Thomas' heart hammered against his ribs as he started to realize that there was something very, very wrong.

"Newt, hey, did you eat or drink anything out there?"

"Yea... yeah I ate some c...andy."

"Did it taste funny?"

"I... yeah, it was b..itter."

"Was it the candy itself?" 

"Don't know."

"Did you start feeling bad after you ate it?"

"Ye...ah"

"Do you think you're having an attack of some sort?"

"No... no."

It hit him.

Was Newt drugged?

Thomas pulled him into his arms. His body wracked with tremors and his breathing was short and quick. 

He wanted to help him, but he had no idea how. Nothing had prepared him for anything like this.

"Tom..my, it's so hot.. it's so.."

"Okay, okay, I'll think of something. Do you think you can walk?"

"No... can't move."

Mind racing, he lifted him up and carried him into the bathroom, setting him down on the tile before turning the shower on cold. 

"Newt? I'm gonna put you under cold water okay? See if that helps?"

He watched Newt jerk his head up and blink at him. His pupils were dilated and glossy. He lifted a hand up and gave him a shaky thumbs up. 

The scene wrenched on his heart and he prayed that this worked.

Thomas moved to lift him up again, transferring him into the tub and not caring that he got wet.

All that mattered was Newt.

"Is that helping?" He asked, sitting outside of the tub. 

"A little..."

"I'm gonna go get a nurse okay? I'll be right back."

He started to stand but Newt grabbed his wrist. His grip was weak and he could have easily pulled away.

But he didn't. He couldn't.

"Please, no... no nurses."

"I have to, I don't want something worse to happen to you."

"No, no, no, no... Please, listen." He begged. "I can't... they can't know, they'll tell her and then it's all my fault again, please."

He hesitated, watching Newt's wide, scared eyes keep contact with his. 

"Please, Tommy, don't leave me alone, please. I don't want to be alone again."

Thomas' heart shattered. 

He didn't have any idea what Newt meant by 'again', and it terrified him.

Going against his better judgement, he sat back down and intertwined their fingers, squeezing his hand.

He knew he would never forgive himself if something horrible happened to Newt.

But he couldn't just leave him to be huddled in a bathtub, having god knows what happen in his head.

"Okay, okay, I won't. I'm right here. I'm not leaving."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"I'm scared, Tommy. I'm so scared."

"I know, I know. Just focus on me, okay?"

He felt absolutely helpless. He cared about Newt so much and watching him suffer through whatever hell was going through his mind felt like someone was clawing open his chest. 

He wanted to scream and cry, but he had to stay strong.

For Newt.

Thomas was pissed at whoever hurt Newt, his Newt. 

He was pissed at himself for getting separated from him, even though he wasn't sure it would have made a difference.

Newt didn't deserve any of this. He was one of the sweetest, nicest people he had met, and he wanted to just wrap him in his arms and shield him from this.

Newt cried silently, tears mixing with the water and his body still feeling hot even under the shower. His mind had cleared to an extent and the swirling hallucinations had started to lessen, but it still plagued his vision. 

He held Thomas' hand as if it were a lifeline and he focused on the touch. His mind hurt— if that was even possible— and he repeated Thomas' name over and over in his mess of thoughts.  

Newt hated that he had to see him like this and he felt selfish and shitty for keeping him here, but the idea of being alone scared him way more than the hell that was happening to him

He couldn't be alone. Not again.

▪︎

They sat there for what seemed like hours. 

Thomas had watched Newt sit with his legs pulled to his chest and he stared into nothingness while shaking, his hand still gripping onto Thomas'. He didn't dare look away, he was scared of what could happen if he did.

The whole time, he felt completely and utterly helpless.

¤¤¤

"I.. I wanna get out, s'cold now."

"Okay, hold on a second."

He stood up and pulled a towel off the rack and tossed it over his shoulder before shutting off the water.

Newt held out his arms and Thomas gently carried him out of the tub. He set his roommate on the floor and bundled him up in the towel, before giving him a halfhearted smile.

"Can... can you hold me?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course."

He tugged him to his chest and embraced him tightly, rubbing his back. His skin was cold and his body still shook as he tried to get as close to Thomas as possible.

"How are you feeling?"

"Horrible."

"Are you better or worse than earlier?"

"Better."

"Do you feel like you can breathe now?"

"Yeah."

Thomas sighed a breath of relief. "That's good, you're doing good."

Newt buried his face into his shoulder, and Thomas could feel warm tears soaking what wasn't already wet of his shirt.

"I'm so sorry."

"No, no, Newt. Don't say that. You don't have to be sorry for anything."

"It's my fault, it's all my fault, I shouldn't have taken that candy, and I'm a mess and I'm dragging you into it."

"Hey, it's not your fault. Whoever gave it to you, it's their fault, okay? And you're not a mess, you're just scared and that's okay." He paused, trying to keep the prickling of his own tears down. "You aren't dragging me into it. I care about you so much, Newt, like you wouldn't believe. I want to make sure you're safe, because that's all that matters to me right now."

Newt didn't reply, only his now slowed breathing filling the silence that felt like a hole in Thomas' heart.

"M'sleepy." He mumbled. 

"I'll get your pyjamas, okay?"

He nodded and Thomas carefully stood up and went into the room. He grabbed his clothes and brought them back.

"Do you think you'll be able to walk?"

"No."

"When you're done getting changed call me and I'll carry you out, okay? I'll be right outside the door."

"You'll stay in the room? You won't leave?"

Thomas wasn't sure if what was left of his heart could take much more of this. His whole chest ached from the hurt and fear written all over Newt's face.

"I'm going to be right there. I promise I won't leave."

Newt nodded and Thomas stepped back into the room, closing the door behind him. 

"I'm right here." He knocked, letting him know that he wasn't going anywhere. 

A small knock responded and he sighed heavily, sitting with his back against the door.

The tears he had been holding in burned at his eyes, but he refused to cry. He didn't want Newt to have to see him crying and start blaming himself for it. He could cry later.

A few minutes passed before Newt called for him and Thomas went back in. He lifted him up and brought him to his bed.

He carefully pulled the blankets over him before taking his hand.

"Thank you, Tommy."

"You don't have to thank me," He said. "I just want you safe."

"I think I'm safe, I've got you." Newt attempted a small smile.

Newt looked up at Thomas, blinking past the blurriness in his eyes. He could tell that he was trying to stay strong. He felt awful, dragging his poor roommate into all this, even though he said it was okay. Thomas didn't deserve to deal with this. Newt knew deep down, that he wasn't lying when he said all he cared about was his safety, but his mind warped that to make him believe otherwise.

He exhaled slowly and let the sleepiness take over as his eyes fell shut.

It didn't take long for Newt's breathing to even out, signalling he was asleep. 

And when that happened, Thomas finally broke.

Those long held back tears poured down his face. He cried and cried, and he just let it happen. 

He hoped Newt would be okay. 

In that moment, he'd give anything to make sure he was.

He'd give anything to do over the night so that the entire event was avoided.

"God, I wish, I wish we just stayed here. None of this would of happened I had just said no to Minho." He shook his head.

He knew Newt could have just gone with Minho and Teresa, but it was easier to make quick assumptions about what could of been.

A knock sounded from the window and he whirled around to see Teresa peeking over the ledge and waving. 

Thomas got up and opened the window, helping pull a half asleep Minho in while Teresa boosted him up. 

"Thomas, you're supposed to leave the window open if you come back first!" She huffed, but the annoyed expression on her face was immediately replaced with a concerned one when she saw him crying.

"Tom? You're crying, what happened?"

"Newt, he," Thomas wiped at his face with his sleeve. "He got drugged." 

"What?!"

"We left because he said he didn't feel too good and immediately after we got here, he collapsed and was saying he was hallucinating, saying he couldn't breathe, that it was hot and he felt like he was dying."

"Did he take anything?"

"He said he had a piece of candy, he didn't say anything else about it."

"What did you do?"

"I took him into the bathroom and had him sit in a cold shower. I don't know if that was the right thing to do, but it was all I could think of."

"That was good," She looked over to Newt's sleeping form. "He's alright now?"

"I don't know, he told me he was sleepy so I carried him back to his bed and I've been keeping an eye on him."

"Did you get a nurse?"

"No."

"Why not? Tom, you have no idea what was in that candy, what if it was something really bad?"

"I know, I know, but he begged me not to get someone." He felt a new wave of tears streak down his face. "He begged for me not to leave him alone, and that he didn't want to be alone again. I have no idea what he means by that, but I can't leave him."

Teresa went silent. 

"I'm so worried and scared, Tess. I don't want anything worse to happen to him."

"I understand that, but you need to calm down a little bit. You're panicking, and you can't think rationally when you're panicking."

"I can't calm down, how could I? My roommate, the guy I fell in love with just went through a horrible trip and I had to watch him suffer because I had no idea what to do or how to help!"

Teresa placed her hands on his shoulders. "Tom, listen to me. I know you care about him and I know you love him, so of course you're gonna be worried out of your mind, but you have to breathe. You were with him the whole time he was going through this, right?"

"Yeah."

"Were you calm?"

"Yeah."

"That's enough. I'm sure he didn't know what to do either, and you kept it together as you stayed by his side, and I'm sure that was enough for him, okay?"

Thomas didn't respond. 

She sighed and pulled him into a hug, rubbing his back. 

"It's gonna be okay, Tom."

"I hope so."

They sat there for a few more moments before she pulled away and gave him a small smile. 

"Normally I'd make you deal with drunk and hungover Minho, but I'll give you a pass this time." She lifted draped Minho's arm over her shoulder. "Don't stress out too much, okay? It's all going to be fine."

Thomas nodded as she carried Minho out of the room.

He moved back to Newt, rolling his desk chair over. Before sitting down, he grabbed the yellow hoodie that he had pretty much stolen from his roommate and pulled it on. 

He loved that hoodie, and it gave him a feeling of reassurance that everything would turn out okay.

Thomas dropped into his chair and sighed heavily. His eyes burned from the tears that spilled, some still falling.

▪︎

Thomas didn't sleep at all that night.

He was exhausted, emotionally and physically, but he couldn't bring himself to get a little rest.

Newt stayed asleep the whole time, his face peaceful as if everything was okay. 

Thomas clicked on his phone, to see multiple texts and missed calls from Teresa and Minho, but he ignored him. He didn't feel like answering them. 

The time read 8:36. He set his phone aside and rubbed his face. He knew both of them would probably be hounded for missing class, but he didn't care. It was the least of his worries.

He stood up and stretched, pacing around the room. 

"Tommy?" 

Thomas whipped around, facing Newt as he sat up. 

He looked lost, even a little scared. 

"What happened? I can't remember anything and my head hurts so bad," He took in a shaky breath. "Tommy, why can't I remember anything??"

"Newt," Thomas sat down on the bed. "Someone gave you a piece of candy at the party last night, and I'm pretty sure it was laced with something."

"So you mean I was drugged?!" 

Thomas winced. "To put it bluntly, yeah." 

"How bad was I?" 

"Pretty bad. You said you felt like you couldn't breathe, that you were hallucinating, you felt like you couldn't move." 

He looked down, picking at the hem of his shirt. 

"I put you under the shower with some cold water, I don't know if that was the best course of action, but it was the only thing I could think of. I had no idea what to do and I was so worried that something would go wrong. "

Newt place a hand on Thomas', giving him a halfhearted smile. 

It scared him to think of what they had to go through last night, and he could see it on Thomas' face that it must've been bad. Newt wanted to pull him into his arms and kiss him, assure him that it's all okay now.

"Thank you, Tommy. I'm glad I had you."  He sighed. "I'm so sorry that you had to see all that, though. You didn't deserve—" 

"Newt, hey, please don't blame yourself. It's not your fault, it's nowhere near your fault." 

"I should've known not to eat anything from someone I didn't know." 

"That doesn't excuse it though. It's the fault of whoever laced it." 

Newt felt like crying. 

"Did you get a nurse?" 

Thomas chewed on his lip. "No, you begged me not to, and you kept saying that you didn't want to be alone again. I couldn't leave, Newt. You looked so scared and I just couldn't." 

"It's okay, Tommy." Newt sighed, wrapping his arms around his roommate. "Did I say anything else?"

"You were talking about how 'he' was gone, it was all your fault and you kept saying 'not again'." 

Newt nodded. 

"What did you mean by all that?." 

"Well, um, back when I lived in London, my mom and dad didn't have the greatest relationship and one day we," He hesitated. 

"Newt, you don't have to tell me this if you don't want to." Thomas said as he pulled out of the hug to look at him. 

"It's okay, Tommy. I should tell someone, and I trust you." 

Newt was facing a small war in his mind. It was terrifying to finally spill these memories to someone, and he almost didn't want to, but he knew Thomas would understand. 

"One day, my dad found an old notebook of mine, and I wrote about how I was questioning my sexuality. He and my mom asked me about it, and I told them I think I'm gay." 

Thomas nodded, running his fingers through his roommate's hair. It was comforting and reassured Newt that he could trust Thomas. 

"Well, my dad accepted me, but my mom didn't. She started yelling at me about how I was confused and I was just doing it to mess with her. She said a lot more, but I honestly don't really remember all of it. My dad started fighting with her and I ran out of the house."

He laughed bitterly, trying to calm his nerves.

"I ended up getting high off my ass and when I got back home, it turns out my dad got in a car crash while I was gone and she blamed it on me." 

Newt didn't realize he was crying until he finished giving the story, and Thomas was silent. 

He panicked, thinking he went too far. 

Thomas wiped away his tears with his thumb and pressed a kiss to Newt's forehead. 

"I'm sorry, that was a lot." 

"Don't apologize. Thank you for telling me." He tugged him back into an embrace. "You're so strong, Newt."

"I'm really not." 

"You are. You went through that, but you're still here and rolling with the punches. I'm so proud of you." 

Newt gave a small smile, leaning his forehead against Thomas'. "Thanks, Tommy." 

A few moments passed of them sitting there, holding each other until a knock sounded from the door. 

Newt heard Thomas mutter something that sounded a lot like 'god fuck' before getting up and answering the door. 

Teresa walked in the room, holding a cafeteria tray with breakfast. She was wearing her uniform and backpack and Newt just then realized that they were technically skipping classes.

"Thomas wouldn't answer his damn phone, so I just got some general stuff for you two. How're you feeling, Newt?" She smiled.

"Head hurts a bit, but otherwise fine." 

"That's good." She handed the tray to Thomas. "You both be glad that the staff here likes Tom, I told them that you guys didn't feel too good and they excused you both almost immediately." 

Newt grinned. "Thanks, Teresa." 

"Really appreciate it, Tess."

"Don't mention it. I gotta get back to class, see you later." 

Newt waved as Teresa left, Thomas sitting on the bed with the tray. 

There was two cereal cups on the tray with milk cartons and some fruit. A small note was also there, reading get well soon dumbasses and was signed with Minho's name.

"I'm gonna put that one on the mirror." Thomas laughed. 

"Yeah?" 

"Yeah." He smiled. "My favorites are always going to be the ones you left, though." 

"They better be, or I'd be rather upset." 

"Aw, Newtie. Jealous?" 

"Maybe." 

Thomas scooted closer to him and kissed his cheek. "Well, you don't have to be. Now! Let's eat, I'm hungry." 


	8. chapter eight

_song: slow dancing in the dark by joji_

It had been a week since the Halloween party, or 'the Incident', as dubbed by Newt and Thomas.

Neither of them wanted to talk about it, even as Newt began remembering bits and pieces of that night. 

He and Thomas had created what was almost like a code for when he remembered something.   
A small tap to Thomas' wrist if they were together, if not, he sent a '!' over text.

It was easier than saying it aloud.

Thomas made it clear that he didn't have to tell him about remembering if he didn't want to, but Newt felt like he deserved to know.

Of course, as the memories returned, he felt awful that Thomas had to see all that. He couldn't even begin to imagine what he had felt, and it terrified him. 

Thomas, being the sweet guy he was, constantly reassured him that it was okay. 

Despite that, the murky, guilty feeling never seemed to leave.

▪︎

Him and Thomas were at dinner first, Newt essentially ignoring his meal as he worked away at an art piece and Thomas quietly observing.

Usually he didn't like when people watched him draw, but like with everything, Thomas was an exception. 

Minho had so expertly dubbed it 'The Tommy Principle'.

"Where do you think Teresa and Minho are at?" Newt asked, pausing to take a sip of water.

"Dunno."

Newt opened his mouth to respond but interrupted when Minho— as if on cue— sprinted into the cafeteria and threw himself down into a chair at their table.

"Guys and gays, I have arrived."

"Quite an entrance you made there, yeah?" 

"You know me, Newton." He grabbed a few M&M's off Thomas' tray. 

Teresa sat down in the chair next to Minho, dropping her tray onto the table. 

"Sorry I'm late."

"Don't worry about it, Tess."

Minho reached over to steal a few fries off her tray, Teresa smacking his hand away.

"Get your own food." 

"The line is too long," He pouted, crossing his arms. "Meanie."

"It's not that long."

"Whatever."

Newt set aside his sketch and started eating. 

"Did you know we've got two weeks until Thanksgiving break?" Minho said, sitting up. "I'm so ready."

"Is it really?" Teresa raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah!"

"What do you guys got planned?" Thomas asked.

"Going home, eat a bunch of food and pass out." 

"Me too."

"That makes three of us." Thomas laughed.

"What are you going to do, Newt?" Minho asked.

"Well," he shrugged. "We don't really celebrate Thanksgiving. I'll stay here, I guess." 

"Oh, yeah, I forgot you're not from here. That sucks, man." 

Thomas glanced at him with a cross of a sad and sympathetic expression on his features. He rested his hand on Newt's knee, thumb brushing back and forth.

"It's alright, I guess." He chewed on his lip, coming to the realization that he'd be alone during the break.

"Anyway," Minho stood up. "I'm going to get some food, be right back." 

He headed off towards the line and Teresa sighed.

"What's up?" Thomas asked.

"You two probably don't wanna hear about it, but," She hesitated. "He's been wanting to get out again, and he said he was gonna ask you guys about sneaking out tonight."

Newt froze, and he could feel Thomas reach for his hand.

"You don't have to feel pressured to go. If he decides he's going out, I'll go with him." 

"You don't have to do that, Tess." 

Newt looked to Thomas, hearing the bit of strain in his voice.

"Maybe not, but you know how reckless he is.

"Yeah..." 

"I'll be fine, Thomas. If anything happens, I'll bring him back."

Thomas looked conflicted, Newt giving his hand a squeeze of reassurance.

Before he could say anything else, Minho came back and dropped his tray on the table.

"So!" He rubbed his hands together. "I was thinking about going out tonight, what about you guys?" 

They went silent, Minho immediately catching onto the weary expression on Newt's face and the worried one on Thomas'.

"We don't have to, of course. We could sit and watch a movie or some—"

"I'll go with you." Teresa interrupted. 

Minho's face morphed into excitement. "Thanks, Resa."

She nodded and went back to her food. 

Nobody said much else after that. 

▪︎

Newt sat on his bed with his legs crossed, busy working on his sketch from earlier.

Thomas was behind him, arms wrapped around his waist and he rested his chin on Newt's shoulder. 

Newt leaned back, slouching against Thomas' chest and he set down his pencil to intertwine their fingers. 

He looked up to his roommate and smiled. Thomas was wearing the yellow hoodie— god how he loved that hoodie, and how Newt loved when he wore it. 

"Hi." He said, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"Hi." Newt giggled, snuggling closer to him. "M'cold." 

Thomas adjusted the embrace and kissed his cheek. 

"Better?"

Before Newt could respond, he gasped.

"Wait!" 

Thomas got off the bed and crossed to his dresser, digging through the drawers until he pulled out a folded blue hoodie. 

"Here! I'm always wearing your hoodie, so here's one of mine!"

He handed it over, Newt unfolding it. The front had an orange design for the Mets emblazoned on it. 

"I know, I know it's sports related, and if you don't wanna wear it-"

"Tommy, I love it." 

Newt grinned and pulled it over his head. It was huge on him, sleeves falling over his hands, but he really did love it. It was soft, warm, and the scent of Thomas' cologne filled his senses. 

Thomas beamed, hands going up to his cheeks.

Newt held open his arms to which Thomas threw his arms around him.

They laid down together and Newt ran his hand through his roommate's hair. 

"Hey, Newt?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Y'know earlier, how we we're talking about Thanksgiving break, and you said you're staying here?"

"Tommy, if you say you're gonna stay back, I swear."

"Well, I would, but that's not what I was going to say."

"Okay, so what is it?"

"Do you want to come home with me for break?" 

Newt paused.

"Of course, Tommy, but are you sure your family won't mind? I don't want to intrude."

"They'd love to have you over! You wouldn't be intruding at all!" 

He smiled and kissed his cheek. 

"I'd love to go with you." 

Thomas grinned, excitement written all over his face.

Suddenly, Newt's phone rang on the nightstand.

"You want me to grab that for you?" Thomas asked. 

"If it's important they'll call again." 

Newt buried his face in his shoulder and tighted his arms around Thomas.

Unfortunately, his phone started ringing again almost immediately after it stopped. 

He groaned and Thomas reached for it. 

"It's your mom."

Newt took the phone, sat up and answered.

"Yeah?" 

" _Newton, is that any way to greet your mother?_ "

"Hi mum." 

" _Better. Now, I notice you had an absence last week?_ "

He tensed. "Uh, yeah, I was real sick."

" _Newton, you can't be missing too much school._ "

"It was one day, plus I felt horrible." 

" _Fine_ ," She sighed. " _I presume you already know about the break coming up, yes?_ "

"Yeah."

" _Okay, so you'll be staying at the school._ "

"Well, I wanted to ask you about that. My roommate, Tomm— Thomas asked if I'd like to go to his house over break, since I'm not going home?"

She went silent for a bit, and Newt felt scared for her answer.

" _Is he there with you right now?_ "

"Yeah?"

" _Let me talk to him._ "

Newt took the phone away from his ear. "She wants to talk to you."

Thomas took it and greeted his mom, giving simple yes or no answers to questions she asked. 

After a few minutes of that, Thomas handed the phone back. 

"Your mom's scary." He whispered, Newt choking back a laugh as he put the phone to his ear.

" _Well, Newton, he seems like a nice boy._ " 

"Does that mean I can go?" 

" _Yes, enjoy your break._ "

"Thanks, mum." 

" _I have to go now, keep your grades up and try not to miss anymore classes._ "

"Okay. Bye mum."

She hung up first, Newt tossing the phone on his bed. 

"What did she say?"

"She said yes."

Thomas beamed and enveloped him in a hug. "I can't wait!" 

Newt hugged back, pressing a kiss to his temple. 

▪︎

They laid next to each other, fingers intertwined as they whispered sweet nothings and looked up to the plastic stars stuck to the ceiling.

It was nothing like stargazing outside, with actual stars, but it was warmer inside. 

And more comfortable.

"You know what?" Thomas said, barely above a whisper.

"What?"

"You're like the moon to my stars, Newt." 

Newt rolled onto his side to face his roommate. He smiled. 

"And you're like the stars to my moon, Tommy." 

Thomas reached up to brush a few stray hairs from Newt's face, hand resting on his cheek. 

"I've got an idea." Newt said, sitting up.

"Yeah?" 

He stood up on the bed, being careful to keep his balance.

"Be careful, don't need you falling."

"I won't fall, Tommy," He said. "I already fell." 

_For you._

"Well, I'll catch you again." Thomas grinned. 

Newt pulled two stars off the ceiling and let himself drop back down to the bed before crossing the room to his desk. 

"What color?" 

"Uh, blue."

Newt grabbed a blue and a black sharpie from his desk before laying back down beside Thomas. He handed him the blue sharpie and one of the stars.

"Write your name on it."

Thomas did as told, Newt writing his own name on the other star. 

"Okay, done." 

Thomas held up the star. He had written Tommy on it. 

"Unfortunately I don't have a moon, but I think it still works?"

Newt held up his and gave it to Thomas, Thomas giving him his. 

Thomas kissed his cheek. "It's perfect." 

Newt clasped the star in his hand before he rolled onto his side and wrapped his arms around Thomas. 

His heart ached, but not in a bad way.

Thomas ran a hand through his hair. 

He wanted to say it.

Newt curled into his roommate's chest.

_I think I love you._

_No._

_I know I love you._

"Tommy?"

He hummed. 

"I..." 

His heart hammered in his chest. 

"I swear to god if you two are doing something in there." A voice yelled through the window.

Newt looked over his shoulder to see Minho climb through the window before helping Teresa up. 

"You suck, Min." Thomas mumbled. 

"Wow, so rude." 

Newt sat up. "You're back earlier than usual."

"Yeah, not too many people out there." He yawned. "I was wondering how long it would take before you got one of Thomas' hoodies." 

Thomas sat up and enveloped him in a hug from behind. "How'd you know it was mine?" 

"Unless Newt is secretly a Mets fan, then it obviously has to be yours. Plus, you never shut up about how you love wearing Newt's hoodie so much, and you could live in it and how cute you think he'd be in one of yo—" 

"Shut it, Min."

"Oh leave them alone, they're cute." Teresa smacked Minho's arm.

"It's so fun to tease them though!" 

"It's not fun to me." Thomas pouted, burying his face in Newt's back.

Newt laughed, slipping his hand into Thomas'. 

"See? Newt thinks it's funny!"

Thomas mumbled something unintelligible and laid back down, face in the pillow. 

"Fine, I'll leave you two alone," He jumped off the bed and waltzed over to the door. "Be safe, don't make any stupid decisions!" 

He left, Teresa standing up and sighing. 

"Ignore him. Goodnight you two." 

Once she stepped out of the room, Newt turned back to Thomas, who was still face down. 

"Are they gone?"

"Yeah." 

He rolled over and smiled before reaching up and pulling him down beside him.

"Tommy!" 

"What?" He said, drawing out the 'a'.

Newt grinned, cupping his face. "You're adorable." 

"You're more adorable than me." 

"I doubt that." 

"Well it's true." 

Thomas kissed his cheek. 

"You were gonna say something before Minho came in, what was it?" 

"Oh," Newt hesitated. "It was nothing." 

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay." 

Newt snaked his arms around Thomas. 

"Newt?"

"Yeah?"

"Love you." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel like my writing style is different from when i started this fic and my formatting is definitely different, but i dunno if i should go through and change it
> 
> anyway, sorry for the late update


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